Ray H. Tomberlin

Ray H. Tomberlin, age 92, passed away Saturday, September 1, 2018, at Olathe Medical Center, Olathe, KS. Born July 28, 1926 to Fred R Tomberlin and Mabel (Gates) Tomberlin on a farm which would now be the shores of Pomona Lake, Kansas, Ray graduated from Lyndon High School in 1944. While at Lyndon High, Ray was an excellent student and an even more incredible athlete. He attended the Kansas State Track Meet in three events, was a starting linebacker and running back for the 1943 undefeated football team and as a senior averaged 28 points a game in basketball. He was recruited by Phog Allen to walk on at the university of Kansas. He instead attended one semester at Baker University before being drafted into the U.S. Army where he was promoted to the rank of master Sergeant while serving his country as manager of the communications center in the Adjunct Generals Office at Governors Island, New York. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Army in 1946, Ray enrolled at the University of Kansas where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 1949. After being employed by Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, Ray became the owner and operator of Tomberlin's Texaco Service at 15th & Main in Ottawa, KS; he sold this business to join General Mills where he was promoted to District Manager, to Assistant National Sales Manager, to Regional General Manager in the Livestock and Feed Division. General Mills abandoned their Feed Division in 1962, and Ray was appointed as Marketing Director for Carey Salt Company, Hutchinson, KS. He joined Merck and Company in 1965 where he became General Sales Manager for Animal Health and Feed Products Division. Ray retired from Merck and Company in 1983 to accept a position with Kyowa Hakko of Japan to market products for wholly owned subsidiary, Biokyowa, in the United States; Ray retired from this position in 1989 and started a new company, Global Agri Business Services, which provided consulting and marketing services for the Animal Feed Products Industry. During Ray's career in the feed industry, he was very active in the industry associations, serving as Chairman of the Midwest Feed Council, member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the American Feed Industry Association and held positions in the National Feed Ingredients Association as a member of the board of directors, member of the executive committee, chairman of the Feed Technology Division, chairman of the International Business Division and was voted Member of the Year in 1987. Ray served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Future Farmers of America during the early 1970's; and he was also recognized and the founder and former president of the Sports Foundation in New Jersey that provided sports programs for children of all ages. Ray retired in 2005. On February 28, 1948 Ray was united in marriage to Dorothy Killgore. They later divorced. On July 23, 1982 Ray was united in marriage to Lea Worthington in Overland Park, KS. They shared 31 year of loving marriage until the passing of Lea on March 4, 2012. Ray was also preceded in death by his parents Fred Tomberlin and Mabel Gates Tomberlin of Pomona, KS, his father-in-law, Reverend Clarence Worthington, mother-in-law, Velma Worthington, and his stepson-in-law, Steve Wheeler. Ray is survived by six children: Dr. Debra Ruggerio of Victor, MT, Kenneth Tomberlin, Shawnee Mission, KS, Rand Tomberlin, Overland park, KS, Donna Fletcher, Overland Park, Gregg Tomberlin, Windsor, CO and Ronald Tomberlin, Merriam, KS; two step children Sheri Porter, Buford, GA and Ken Wheeler, Turner, KS; seventeen grandchildren; and ten great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday September 7, 2018 at Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home, 325 S. Hickory St., Ottawa, KS. The family will meet with friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday prior to the service at the funeral home. Condolences to the family may be sent through www.lamb-roberts.com. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Ray H. Tomberlin please visit our Sympathy Store.

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