Ronald Lee Raybuck, born June 10, 1933, the youngest of four children and last surviving member of his family.
He grew up on the homestead and went to school across the road in the one-room schoolhouse. He was needed to help on the family farm so he was pulled from school after 9th grade and was exempt from the draft. He helped his father farm by plowing and raking hay with their horses named Prince and Dan. They received their first tractor in 1944 and Ron took over the farm in 1965.
He was very athletic in his younger years and as a teenager, he played basketball for Allens Mills. His nickname was “Speedy” because of his ability to quickly move up and down the court. At the age of 14, he started playing baseball for the Beechwoods Farmers and then for the Hormtown Palominos; he played first base and he could bat with either his right hand or left. He played until 1967.
Ron met his wife, Mary Margaret (Shaffer) Raybuck, while square dancing at the Hormtown Community Center. They were wed on February 10, 1956, and had four children; Donald, Daniel, David, and Debra.
In the fall of 1966, at the age of 35, he caught his right hand in a corn picker. He overcame the challenges of his damaged hand and continued farming with the help of his family and friends.
He is best known for “Raybuck Potatoes”. He had planted potatoes every year with his biggest crop being 25 acres. Due to health issues, he retired from farming in 2014.
He loved to hunt deer and was always hunting with Mary by his side. In addition to his wife Mary Margaret, Ron is survived by four children; Donald (Diana) Raybuck of Reynoldsville, PA; Daniel Raybuck of Brockway, PA; David Raybuck of Brockway, PA; Debra (Peter) Drall of Reynoldsville, PA; seven grandchildren; Kalee (Ricky) Ennis, Paul (Sabrina) Raybuck, Peter S. Drall, Alexander Drall, Zachary Drall, Michael Drall, Amy Copenhaver; and his great-grandchildren; Emilee and Tyler Raybuck, Braydon Raybuck, Aubrey Copenhaver, and Mason Plummer.
In addition to his parents, Ron is preceded in death by his brothers; William and Harold Raybuck; his sister; Mabel Cooper; and his daughter-in-law; Laurie Raybuck.
Family and friends will be received on Friday, May 31, 2019, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., at the Snyder – d’Argy Funeral Home, 206 E. Main St., Reynoldsville PA, 15851. A funeral service will immediately follow the viewing, beginning at 2:00 p.m., and officiated by pastors Dave and Emily Koehler.
Interment will take place at Beechwoods Cemetery, Falls Creek, Jefferson Co., PA. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Hunters Helping Soldiers. Online condolences and other information may be found by visiting www.snyderdargy.com.
