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Ray Mantell passed away on January 31, 2025 at Hospice in St Petersburg from a short battle with cancer. He was a Vietnam veteran, serving as a morse code operator in the Air Force. After his military service Ray joined the St Petersburg Police Department and worked as a detective for 20 years. He worked with Youth Aid and ran the Police Athletic League for many years. Ray loved baseball and played in the winning team at the Police Olympics in different parts of the country.
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John Paul Jones
Ray's passing makes me think how fragile our lives can be. I see he posted a birthday note in January and then was gone in the same month. As a cancer survivor, I learned to live life every day. I know Ray was active on this website and helped make NEHI reunions a reality. He will be missed.