SIOUX CITY -- The Rev. Ray E. Stallons, 78, of Sioux City went to meet his heavenly father on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010.
Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Southern Hills Baptist Church, with the Revs. David Miller and Bob Dillman officiating. Interment will be at a later date. Visitation will be 3 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present to greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m., at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made to the family at
www.christysmith.com
.
Ray was born Dec. 29, 1931, in Herrin, Ill., the son of Frank and Maude (Frick) Stallons. He was raised in Herrin and graduated from Herrin High School. He then entered military service, serving three years with the U.S. Air Force. He then received his associate's degree in tool and die making from Southern Illinois University. He worked in Chicago at Western Electric a couple of years before his calling into the ministry.
He married Doris J. Bayless on July 12, 1958, in Tinley Park, Ill. In November 1958, he was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister, pastoring a few churches in Illinois for 10 years. He then felt led to work with people who were hard of hearing, so he went back to school and received his master's degree in 1968 in audiology from Southern Illinois University. He worked for the Department of Mental Health for the state of Illinois, helping more than 700 children. Also, during this time, he pastored churches that were without a full-time pastor. Moving to Evansville, Ind., in 1972, he was the director of the speech and hearing department at Welborne Baptist Hospital. In 1972, he moved to Indianapolis and worked with the leading hearing aid dealer in the country.
In 1976, he moved to Sioux City and purchased the Maico Hearing Aid office, later changing the name to Stallons Hearing Aids. He retired in December 2007. During this time in Sioux City, he pastored churches in Quimby and Climbing Hill in Iowa, and McCook Lake, S.D.
He was a member of and a deacon at Southern Hills Baptist Church and was very involved in the life of the church. He taught adult Sunday school class for several years. He was also a member of the Sioux City Art Club and the Woodcarvers Club.
Survivors include his wife, Doris; a daughter, Janet and husband, Keith Eyer of Sioux City; a son, Ken and wife, Shelley Stallons of Moorhead, Iowa; eight grandchildren, Kendall, Tristan, Colby, Kayla, Ashlei and Scott Eyer and Kyle and Jennifer Stallons; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and three brothers.
The family suggests memorials to Southern Hills Baptist Church or to Hospice of Siouxland.