Raymond "Ray" Pelton, 95, of Indianapolis, IN, passed away peacefully to be with his Lord and Savior on January 14, 2025, at Life's Journey Hospice House in Avon, Indiana, surrounded by his loving family.  He was born on November 16, 1929, in Dunlo, Pennsylvania, to the late Delancey and Alice (Swelfer) Pelton.

Ray was a hard-working family man, a patriot, and a "fix-it man" who loved planes, trains, and automobiles.  He grew up in difficult times during the great depression and first went to work in the Pennsylvania coal mines in 1946.  In 1950 he enlisted into the Pennsylvania National Guard and joined the 628th tank battalion out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.  He served in the Korean War in Frankfurt, Germany.  Then in July of 1952, while he was stationed at Camp Atterbury in Indiana, he met the love of his life, Rowena Thompson, at a roller-skating rink.  They were married on March 14, 1953, and remained in Indiana, where they had three children, Laura, Linda, and Gary.

After leaving the service, Ray worked 39 years for the Penn Central/Conrail railroad as an engineer.  After retirement, he worked another 15 years at Avis Car Rental at the Indianapolis International Airport until he was 85 years young: planes, trains, and automobiles!

Ray was preceded in death by his parents, his three siblings, Francis, Eleanor, and Grace and a son, Gary Pelton (Melissa).  He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Rowena (Thompson) Pelton; his children, Laura Pelton, Linda (Bill) Lewis; four grandsons, David, Kyle, Alexander, and Drew; and four great-grandchildren, Braden, Aryanna, Cole, and Allissa.

Pastor Bill Turner will conduct a memorial service at 1:30 p.m., Friday, January 24, 2025, at Swartz Family Community Mortuary and Memorial Center, 300 S. Morton Street (U.S.31), Franklin, IN, with visitation from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Military honors will follow the service at the funeral home.  Burial will be in Washington Park Cemetery East, 10612 East Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46229.

Memorial donations can be made to St. Jude's Research Hospital, St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, to honor Ray's love of children or Samaritan's Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607, to help the victims of all the national disasters.