Raphael J. "Ray" Voltz II, 79, Altoona, died Friday at his residence after a courageous two-year battle with cancer. Ray was born in Butler, son of the late Raphael J. and Martha Mercedes (Geibel) Voltz. He married Shirley L. Lockard Aug. 11, 1951. Surviving are his wife; four children: Deborah Decker and husband, Craig, Raphael J. III and wife, Jackey, Michele Dietzel and husband, Jack, and Marie Bettwy and husband, Shawn, all of Altoona; five grandchildren: Bernadette (Decker) Thompson and husband, Dusten, Matthew Decker and wife, Lisa, Raphael J. Voltz IV, Thomas Bettwy and Kristen Bettwy; and two great-grandchildren: Mercedes and Marah Thompson. Ray was a 1948 graduate of Altoona High School. He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in Germany. He retired in 1990 as a yardmaster from Conrail. He was a member of the Unter Uns, Bavarian Aid Society, Swiss Club, American Legion, Eldorado Kiwanis and St. Stanislaus Club and was a third-degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the Blair County Republican Committee. He was a life member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Ray loved the City of Altoona and served as city councilman from 1986-90 and as mayor from 1994-98. He was instrumental in the restoration of Gospel Hill and was chairman of the Gospel Hill Flag Committee. He served on numerous boards and committees for the City of Altoona and most recently served on the boards of the Altoona Area Public Library and Improved Dwellings of Altoona. He was a player and manager for City League baseball and was organizer and founding manager of the Corporal Miller baseball team. Ray loved God, family, and country and enjoyed sports, traveling, politics, walking and working in the yard. Ray's epitaph is that "he did what he thought was right." Friends will be received from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday, March 30, 2009, at The Stevens Mortuary Inc., 1421 Eighth Ave., Altoona, where a vigil for the deceased will be held at 3:30 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, 2009, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church by the Rev. Father Dennis Kurdziel. Committal at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Ray's memory.

Altoona Mirror, Sunday, March 29, 2009