Meet Raymond Edward Gunterman
June 27, 1910 – May 19, 1997
On a warm June day in 1910, Raymond Edward Gunterman entered the world in Illinois. He was the son of Lela Marie Maurer and Stephen A. Gunterman, and grew up alongside his sister, Mary Kathryn.
A Louisville Youth
By the 1920s, Ray was in Louisville, Kentucky, where he made the papers for sprinting in the Relay Race for Boys. At just 15, he was already finding ways to leave his mark in the city.
Family and Work
The 1930 census captures Ray at home with his mother and sister, both stenographers. A few years later, in 1937, he married Oleita Lightfoot Ayers. With that marriage came not only a new household but also Oleita’s young daughter, Bettie Sue, whom Raymond helped raise.
Ray worked steadily—first in auto accessories, later as a salesman in the wholesale plumbing trade. His days were filled with the responsibilities of providing for his growing family, which eventually included his own sons Peter and Raymond Jr.
The Man Behind the Records
Life was not without bumps. In 1949, a Louisville newspaper reported Raymond fined on bookmaking charges—a reminder that even our most buttoned-up ancestors had complicated stories. Yet, his obituary decades later described him as a Scoutmaster, a man of trade associations, a Knight of Columbus, and an archer with the Louisville club.
A Legacy Remembered
Raymond passed away in Louisville on 19 May 1997, at the age of 86. He was remembered as a devoted father and grandfather, survived by his children, stepchildren, 10 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. He rests today in the family plot at Cave Hill Cemetery, a life’s story carved into the Kentucky soil.
Share Your Memories
Do you remember Raymond? Did he share stories of his days as a Scoutmaster, or perhaps tales from the old plumbing trade? We’d love to hear your memories. Please share them in the comments below so his story continues to live on.
Looking for more details?
Visit Raymond’s Family Page to explore the full timeline of his life—complete with records, census images, and the story of how his path wound from a Louisville race track to the family plot at Cave Hill Cemetery.