Ray Lee Drain

Ray Lee Drain, born June 23, 1938, in Salem, Va., died peacefully in the comfort of his home Wednesday, February 19, 2025, in New Castle, Va. He was the last remaining son of Robert Stuart and Mable Clair Nichols Drain. He was preceded in death by son Robert "Bobby" Douglas Drain, his only sister Helena Alzie Drain Young that helped raise him and his three brothers, Robert, Emory, and Douglas.

He served as a Machinery Repairman Petty Officer 3rd class on the USS Sierra AD18 and received his GED from the Navy. He loved sharing stories to anyone that would listen to his travels abroad with his shipmates on the destroyer tender and his hitchhiking from Norfolk back to Roanoke for leaves. Upon his honorable discharge in 1961 we went to work at Radford Arsenal.

When he began working at General Electric as a lineman he soon met his wife Lucy Mae Poff Drain in the winter of 1966 and was married March 18, 1967 where they spent their honeymoon camping and fishing on Potts Creek. He retired from GE after 30+ years of service as a wireman, with his most notable achievement of wiring the electrical panel for the Tower of Terror elevator ride for Walt Disney World. For retirement, he loved hunting, fishing and doing crossword puzzles when not working outdoors on his 25-acre farm with help from some amazing neighbors.

His son James Daniel Drain of the home, daughter Tracy Lynette Drain of Martinsville, VA as well as mini pincher Bonnie Sue and cats Katrina & Lil Bit were all a part of his hospice comfort team in the final weeks.

So we wish him waters full of fish, woods full of game and hope he is rejoicing with his family and the lifetime of furry critters that went on before him.

Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Assisi Animal Clinics of VA, Inc 415 Campbell Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24016.