Ray Harrison (Harrizone) RIP

[Calcifur83]

Announcement made here as, to date, this sad news has only been officially released to club members.

As some members will be aware from the forum and Newsletter, it is with great sadness that we announce that Ray passed away suddenly on 9th February.

The club have sent a message of condolence to Linda and Ash, Ray’s widow and son, together with some flowers. Despite the pandemic restrictions, the club hope to have a representative at Ray’s funeral.

Ray was one of the 15 original Founders of the club, serving as Chairman from 2007-9 and editor of Spin magazine from 2005-13 (Issues 3 to 15).

He also kicked off the Essex Monthly Pub Meets in 2008, organised a number of Sunday Breakfast runs around some fantastic Essex roads, participated in numerous club trackdays around the UK, and took part in the glorious trackday trip to Spa in Belgium in 2015.

Ray influenced and contributed greatly to this Club, and those who knew him will never forget him, or the legacy he has left.

The committee have unanimously agreed that Ray’s memory should live on in some fitting way, so have decided to institute an annual award to the member who has contributed most to the Club over the past year. We will provide more details on the forum shortly.

Ray Harrison R.I P.

RaY and RX-8.jpg

[Mpv2k3]

He will be missed.

[GreySilver Beast]

I think about him everyday at the moment

[Essex2Visuvesi]

People often say that when somone was made they broke the mould
With Ray this really was the case.
Ray was the first person Adam and I ever spoke to when we went our first RX8 meet and we will never forget that.
Always had a story to tell, yet at the same time took the time to listen to others.
Will be raising a cup of tea to him at the next meet

[30405]

I first met Ray in 2006 and we've been great friends ever since. I will miss him immensely, as I know many others will too.

On behalf of the club, I've been keeping in regular contact with Linda via text and phone, to offer any support. She and Ash have now confirmed the funeral arrangements and she has requested myself and a few other club members attend, with their RX-8's if possible. Due to to the covid-19 restrictions, it is sad that not everyone who might have wanted to attend the funeral to pay their respects will be able to do so (unless the rules change before the date of the funeral, 23 March).

The committee will be organising a floral tribute for the funeral on behalf of the the club and its members.

Linda has also said that Ash will be setting up a "Just Giving" page on behalf of some chosen charities, to which anyone can contribute in memory of Ray. As soon as I have details, I will post them up here, for anyone who wishes to contribute.

[SeanP]

Further details of Ray's funeral.......

Firstly, Ashley Harrison has set up a "justgiving" page where anyone who would like to contribute to 1 or 2 charities can do so in Ray's memory:

https://www.justgiving.com/team/RayHarr ... 980eef3c84

Press ‘Donate to a team member’. This will take you to the bottom of the page where you can choose one of the two charities to donate to, should you so wish. Or you can share your donation between the two but you have donate separately to each.

Linda and Ashley have generously invited 8 (how appropriate) club members (including family members that Linda has met personally) to attend on the day, so we shall be well represented.

At Linda's request we shall have some RX-8's, including "Ray's" RX-8 (now owned by Aston) follow the hearse from Ray and Linda's home to the crematorium.

I've been asked to deliver a short eulogy during the (largely non-religious) service, which I am honoured to do, provided I can keep it together on the day. If not, the "celebrant" will delver it on my behalf.

I'm arranging, on behalf of the club and all it's members for a "Club" floral tribute to accompany Ray's coffin.

Finally, the funeral will also be live broadcast on the day and for up to 28 days after, for those who cannot attend. Details to login are given below:

Service order for Raymond Harrison
Service Date: 23-Mar-21 at 2:00

Website: https://www.obitus.com/

Username: citu6983
Password: 488068

You can login to the website at any time to view a test connection (and it is strongly recommend you do this) but you'll only be able to view the Live Webcast approximately 5 mins before the service start time. Please be aware this is a public building and the timing of the Live webcast is semi-automated to allow for services running early or late – please use your discretion if you can see activities not applicable to Ray's service. Once the service has finished, it will take up to 3 working days to get the 28-day Watch Again onto the website.

[SeanP]

Wow! Such a fitting tribute to a man who founded and contributed hugely to the club, members and the "Rotary" cause! Many thanks Malcolm for posting the details - and I shall certainly eschew any work meetings to "attend" the webcast!

[Naz]

Ray will be terribly missed. I am pretty sure the term "diamond geezer" was coined for him. A fitting response from the club also, well done team. Condolences to the family. Farewell Ray!

[30405]

Just a reminder that Ray's funeral takes place this coming Tuesday and the club will be well represented on the day. As posted above, the proceedings will be live-streamed, and also viewable after the event for 28 days.

If anyone should wish to make a charitable contribution in Ray's memory, his son has set up a "Just Giving" page here:

https://www.justgiving.com/team/RayHarr ... 980eef3c84

Press ‘Donate to a team member’. This will take you to the bottom of the page where you can choose one of the two charities to donate to, should you so wish. Or you can share your donation between the two but you have to each page separately.

[GreySilver Beast]

Goodbye Ray

We will miss you

[Ranjan]

He will live on as long as we remember him.
RIP buddy.

Ranjan.

[Neilparry]

He will live on as long as we remember him.
RIP buddy.

Ranjan.

My sentiments exactly
And good to here from you again Ranjan.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Conan]

[Conan]

Coincidentally this is exactly one year since we buried the mother of my eldest daughter.
Lockdown started during the wake
So I have raised a glass to both
Fond memories
Pete

[PeteH]

Sad news. Ray was a kind and generous person, who was instrumental in making the Club what it is. He helped me on many occasions. He will be missed. To see Ray sliding a Rex around a race circuit was to remind us all what the true joy of cars is...

[GreySilver Beast]

Finally, the funeral will also be live broadcast on the day and for up to 28 days after, for those who cannot attend. Details to login are given below:

Service order for Raymond Harrison
Service Date: 23-Mar-21 at 2:00

Website: https://www.obitus.com/

Username: citu6983
Password: 488068

Once the service has finished, it will take up to 3 working days to get the 28-day Watch Again onto the website.

The webcast is now available to watch, until the end of Monday 19th April 2021, here https://www.obitus.com/index.php?page=view-a-webcast using the login details above.

I have also captured a copy for access beyond that date.

[GreySilver Beast]

Just realised, I posted this on MRC as Ray was a long standing member there as well but not on here.

My friend Ray.

April 2005 Mazda invited a few people to Brands for a promotional thing in the convention centre and as you will see in the picture below an RX-8 was parked behind my car.

This was the day I met Ray, the owner of the car that just happened to be parked behind mine.

We very quickly realised that we were very likeminded people and I found it very poignant that at Ray’s service today it was mentioned that he did not “suffer fools gladly” and those who know me know I am very much of the same ilk!

The RX-8 was maybe only a year old but Ray he had a clear plan for the car and asked me to modify his to me still new car into his personal vision.
Biggest challenge was not fitting the full Genuine Mazdaspeed kit, it was constructing the bull bars Ray stipulated had to be fitted, because as some of you have seen today, living one road back from Southend sea front, day trippers would bump his cars in efforts to so called park.

Ray ended up with the only RX-8 in the world ever to be fitted with four towing eyes, as this was the only way to mount his required bull bars that are still on the car to this day.

During the next 16 years Ray became so so much more than a car club buddy as away from club events we did many things together and at times sought each other’s advice, even more so when he was nominated as RX8OC chairman which was something he was immensely proud of.

Lisa and myself will miss Ray tremendously, but the one thing I was happy about was that from time to time we would ring each other to catch up and just before he went into hospital I phoned to see how both he and Linda was getting on during the lock down.

I now cherish that we caught up one last time, but sadly neither of us can keep the dinner date we promised after the lockdown.

Our thoughts are with Linda, Ash and his family and I hope that they will find comfort knowing Ray would have been so proud of the wonderfully constructed service that took place .

[mrspiller]

Whist thinking of my old Mate Ray after Friday, who was also a long standing member of MRC, I remembered this picture of the award he won with us at the Sparkford Museum.

I remember that virtually as soon as he bought his RX-8 new, he had me fit all these Mazda Speed parts, complete Racing Beat exhaust and big Brake kit , also including the Hot Rod style "bumper bars" he had me design and fit, because where he lived people parking kept bumping his cars.

He also had me modify the rear diffuser so the Rotor sat the right way up when you looked through the car and could see the Rotors in the seats the same way up.

Ray's Very subtle idea that I have never seen anyone do since