Ray Rantala

A Celebration of Life service for Ray Rantala, age 55 of Woodlawn, will be held on Monday, March 1, 2021 at 12:00 PM at Sykes Funeral Home, Clarksville.  The family will receive friends on Monday from 11:00 AM until the time of service.  Ray passed away on Tuesday, February 23, 2021.

Ray was a professional mechanic and master of all things from Chinooks and Blackhawks to cars, tractors, cranes, conveyors and skid steers.  He had the rare ability to solve any mechanical, electrical or physical problem – even if the problem showed up in a wood crate in thousands of pieces covered in sand and grease, or came into his shop crying.  He could fix it; he could make it better; he could make up really bad lyrics to songs while doing it.  Ray was an animal lover, and earned the love and trust of even the most stand-offish horse, dog or cat – and wife.  Ray was an avid reader, history buff, 70's music lover, and erstwhile hunter.  A recent transplant back to the Clarksville, TN area (101st Airborne) from the Minneapolis/St Paul, MN area, Ray was continuing to wrench while pursuing longtime dreams of living in the woods and off the land -- and leave the cold winters behind.  Ray’s combination of intelligence, dexterity, persistence and logic allowed him to solve problems with skill, grace and excellence.

Ray was born on July 14, 1965 in Amery, WI – during lunchtime – making him a lifelong Packers fan, and the “perfect baby”, as his mother always said.  Though he never thought it or said it, he was the perfect husband and partner, father, brother, son, and friend.  He was endlessly patient, forgiving and generous to others.  Ray was preceded in death by his parents Raymond Rantala and Dionne Rantala (Zitzmann).  He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Julianne Rantala, sisters Lauri Rantala and Ramona Rantala, sons Alexander O’Neill (Debra) and Jacob O’Neill (Maddie), grandchildren Liam and Katelyn O’Neill, nephew Raymond Michael Rantala (Samantha), his wife’s parents Thomas and Pamela Storms, and Zitzmann cousins and family.  Ray leaves a wake of friends from the Army, Northwest Airlines, and Ceres Environmental.  His gentle and fervent support, listening ear, kindness, and gentle heart will never be replaced in the hearts of those he touched.