Raymond Joseph Zernia Jr., 87, passed away peacefully on Oct. 20, 2016, surrounded by his family. Ray was born on April 15, 1929, in Milwaukee, Wis. He came to Alaska in 1948, when his parents moved north to open a business supplying fresh produce to local grocery stores. After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1950 - 1954, he returned to Alaska, making Anchorage his lifelong home.In the Navy, Ray was stationed in Norfolk, Va., as a control tower operator, also playing football on a Navy travel team. Upon returning to Alaska, Ray worked briefly with the FAA as an air traffic controller on Middleton Island. He later took over the family's food brokerage business, Zernia & Co.In 1958, while skiing at Arctic Valley, he met Kay, a school teacher from Lincoln, Neb., who was in Anchorage for a one year teaching assignment. They married the following year, sharing the next 57 years together. Ray was a loving father of two - Sandi and Steve - and a proud grandfather of four - Jamie, Erik, Katelyn and Hayden. He enjoyed sharing his passion for fishing, skiing, hunting and the outdoors. He especially loved fishing with family and friends on his boat in Seward, Alaska. He fished every Silver Salmon Derby from 1955 until 2015, and operated his boat as a fishing charter from 1994 - 2003.Ray was a member of Central Lutheran Church and the Benton Bay Lions Club. He was an avid supporter of the University of Alaska Anchorage hockey program and attended nearly every home game, selling Split-the-Pot tickets on behalf of the Lions. Ray was a volunteer ski patroller on the slopes at Arctic Valley and Alyeska for more than 30 years. He continued to ski into his early 80s and enjoyed spending his birthdays skiing with his son and grandchildren.Ray is survived by his wife, Kay Zernia; daughter, Sandi Zernia; son, Steve (Elle) Zernia; sister, Dolores Fahey; brother, Dexter Zernia; grandchildren; nieces; and nephews.Ray is preceded in death by his parents, Raymond Zernia Sr. and Nellie Zernia.There will be a memorial service on Nov. 5, 2016, at Central Lutheran Church, 1420 Cordova Street in Anchorage beginning at 2 p.m. Per Ray's wishes, his ashes will be scattered in Resurrection Bay and in the Chugach Mountains.In lieu of flowers, memorial bequests can be made to Central Lutheran Church or Providence Hospice.Arrangements are with Janssen's Evergreen Memorial Chapel.