Ray Ellsworth Cooper was 55 when he died in Roanoke, Virginia, on December 27, 2014. Born August 27, 1959, in Sayre, Pennsylvania, he was remembered by friends and family as a dedicated family man with a gruff exterior but a gentle, easy-going nature. He enjoyed fishing in local creeks and streams and had been a skilled, self-taught plasterer until heart surgery forced his early retirement.

The circumstances of his death are unclear.

If anyone knew Ray or has information about what happened to him on December 27, 2014, please share what you know.