Raymond J. Asik

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Raymond J. Asik, age 85, of Vermilion, Ohio, died on October 25, 2026.

Born on May 31, 1941, in Lorain, Ohio, Ray graduated from Lorain High School in 1959A. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Ohio University in 1963 and an MBA from Baldwin Wallace College in 1976. In 1963, he was accepted into the United States Air Force Officer Training School, Class 1963B, beginning a military career that would take him around the country and across the globe.

During his Air Force career, Ray served at Lowry Air Force Base (AFB), Colorado; Orlando AFB, Florida; Hahn Air Base, Germany; Sheppard AFB, Texas; Scott AFB, Illinois; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Keesler AFB, Mississippi; Eglin AFB, Florida; and Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. He proudly served nine years on active duty and another 17 years in the active Reserves, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel and Commander of the USAF Reserve Detachment in Detroit, Michigan. He was also a graduate of the USAF Air Command and Staff College.

Ray's distinguished military service earned him numerous medals, awards, and commendations, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Short and Long Tour Ribbons, Air Force Longevity Service Award (26 years), Armed Forces Reserve Medal (20+ years) with Hourglass Device, Air Force Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. He also earned the USAF Missile Badge, having served during the Cold War as a Missile Combat Crew Commander for the MACE (MGM-13B) missile system in Germany.

Following his active-duty military service, Ray continued putting his education and leadership skills to good use. He spent 10 years at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, as Director of Administrative Systems at the Computing Center and Lecturer in Mathematics. He later joined NASA's John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked as a Project Manager for 17 years before retiring. From the Air Force to higher education to NASA, Ray certainly never lacked ambition or an interesting story to tell.

Ray believed in giving back to his community and generously devoted his time and talents to organizations and causes that mattered to him. He was a member of the Trustees Academy at the Patton College of Education's Dean's Circle of Engagement, served faithfully for 25 years as Treasurer of Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Lorain, and was Chairperson of the Vermilion Board of Zoning Appeals. He was also a life member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, the Reserve Officers Association, the Association of Air Force Missileers, and AMVETS.

When he wasn't serving his country, community, or church, Ray enjoyed spending time with his daughter, son, and grandchildren. He kept active with exercising, bowling, golfing, tennis, snowmobiling, and Frisbee golf. He was also an enthusiastic supporter of local Vermilion sports and the ThunderRidge High School girls' basketball team in Colorado.

And then there were his letters to the editor. Ray was never one to shy away from expressing his opinions, and he had plenty of them. A frequent contributor to the local newspaper, he firmly believed the world would be a better place if everyone would just listen to him. When an FBI agent and a CIA agent moved into his neighborhood, his family couldn't help but wonder if his correspondence had finally attracted some federal attention. Whether you agreed with him or not, you always knew where Ray stood!

Above all, Ray valued the people in his life. He cherished his family and the lasting friendships he maintained with his extended Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church family, Lorain High School classmates, and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity brothers. His loyalty to those friendships, many spanning decades, was a testament to the importance he placed on staying connected to the people who mattered most.

Ray is survived by his daughter, Annmarie Asik Heth, and grandsons Alex and Connor Greer of Parker, Colorado; his son, Matthew Asik, daughter-in-law Dana, and grandson Sullivan, also of Parker, Colorado; and his brother, Robert Asik, of Lorain, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 34 years, Sandra (née Kovanes) Asik, who passed away in 2005; their twin daughters, Alexandra and Sarah, who were stillborn in 1970; his brother, Joseph Asik, of Las Vegas, Nevada, who passed away in 2020; and his parents, Joseph (1976) and Helen (née Chonka) Asik (1995).

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a favorite church or charity, or that memorial contributions be directed to The Ohio University Foundation, Sandra Asik Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 869, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701.

Friends and family may pay their respects on Friday, November 20, 2026, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Dovin Funeral Home in Lorain, Ohio.

Visitation will also be held on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to noon at Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Lorain, followed by funeral services at noon. Interment will immediately follow at Elmwood Cemetery in Lorain.

Following the interment, family and friends are warmly invited to gather at Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church at 2:00 p.m. to share memories, celebrate Ray's life, and undoubtedly exchange a few stories that would have made him smile.