1940-2026
Lyle Ray Grusing, known to all as Ray, was born on December 29, 1940, to Ben and Vandella Grusing in Leoti, KS. He was 85 years old when he went to be with his Lord and Savior on February 9, 2026. Ray graduated from WCHS in 1959, then attended college in Ft. Collins, Colorado. He then went to serve his country in the US Army and was honorably discharged as a Green Beret in the Vietnam War era. During this time, Ray also had the honor of marching in the funeral parade for JFK. Following military service, Ray went into law enforcement serving as Town Marshall i n Grand County, Colorado, then as Sheriff in Leoti, Kansas. This fed Ray’s love of local history. He worked alongside the Grand Lake Historical Society compiling and sharing the regional lore. For the decades following, Ray was a well-respected and highly sought out pioneer of precision Dozer operations across many states in the Western US.
Not all saw it, but Ray was creative as well. Whether it was working with mediums such as leather, wood, knives, sandstone, or storytelling, Ray always had his hand in creating something new. If he was on a job or working on some equipment and he needed a tool he didn’t have (or hadn’t ever been invented), Ray had the craftsmanship to be able to create the custom tool, jig, or necessary piece for that exact purpose. When you couldn’t find Ray tinkering or on a tractor, he could always be found outdoors. An avid hunter, marksman, or appreciating the beauty in nature, he truly enjoyed the freedom of the outdoors.
Ray is preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Vandella Grusing. He is survived by his siblings, Dale (Vicki), Judy (Duane), and Butch (Barb); three children, Chad (Denise) of Canyon, TX, Amy (Jeff) of Duchesne, UT, and Adam of Hawaii. He also has five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and companion of twenty-six years, Leola Owens.
There will be a Celebration of Life at a later date to be determined.
