The memory of an extraordinary man will live on.....
Charles Ray Floied was born August 26, 1946 to Amos Dalton Floied and Mary Agnes Stewart at home on Low Branch Rd. in Coble, TN. Most of Ray's childhood was spent in Coble running the hills and hollers of Sulphur where the Floied family farm was located. Ray's first job was snaking logs with a 10 speed bicycle at his Daddy's sawmill in 1957 for 10 cents a log. When times got tough and money short Amos moved the family to Chicago were most of Ray's formative years were spent. But, back home, in Coble is where Ray knew he belonged, and he soon found his way back to make his own way.
Later in life, Ray moved to Kingston Springs, TN. The first business he began was making and selling jewelry from shell, turquoise, coral and ivory, with a heavy Native American influence.
Ray always had a fervent passion for history. He spent most of his nights reading books on different eras throughout the world. When we took a family trip to Switzerland I can remember the wonder in my Daddy's eyes when we walked the streets of Zurich and toured the many old churches, and forts in the city. Ray always wanted to relive the past and was very interested in the Civil War era and the tales it had to offer. He participated in Civil War reenactments, and with the help of his father and brothers they built reproduction fireable Civil War cannons, some of which are still in existence today.
When machining entered Ray's life, he discovered he had a talent for the trade and the rest was history. He went to work for Nashville Machine Inc., where he learned everything he could to one day run his very own machine shop. An innate touch of genius, coupled with his unrelenting determination, brought forth a self-taught engineer. Anything Ray set his mind to he was sure to bring to fruition. He started out doing small jobs with the few machines he had in the basement at his home inKingston Springs. In the late 80's, he took the leap into the unknown and opened Floied Machine Inc. in Burns, TN. During Ray's Floied Machine Inc. venture, he engineered thousands of parts for industrial companies such as Saturn, Sumiden Wire Products Corp., Tennsco and many others. Ray had an enterprising reputation. He was known for tackling difficult projects that most highly skilled machinist would not touch. His drive to create new things, and make existing ones more efficient brought him great success and opportunity.
Charles Ray was an outdoor enthusiast and avid hunter. His connection with nature was a large part of his life journey. Many of his leisure hours were spent in the company of trees, fields, streams, and nature’s wildlife. When he was not hunting arrow heads, you could find him camping, stalking his next buck, reeling in a large mouth bass, cleaning up litter or any other adventure he might stumble upon. His passion for hunting combined with his innovative skills led to one of Ray’s greatest accomplishments, the invention of the Yardage Master. His revolutionary Yardage Master is a trigger pull bow sight system. It allows the archer to accurately shoot any game animal, at any range, without knowledge of the animal’s distance. Like his father, Ray patented his invention and the Yardage Master is still in use today. In 1997 Ray had the opportunity to go on the hunt of a lifetime in Africa. With his Yardage Master in hand, he traveled to Zimbabwe where he hunted Kudu, Duiker, Sable, Wart Hog and many more. Fishing was another deep rooted love of Ray's and also a means to feed the masses at his many Duck River gatherings. It was no surprise that he found a way to better his fishing experience, as well. He came up with a trolling motor for a pontoon boat that allows the captain to maneuver his vessel in any direction, even 360 degrees, with the ease of a remote control. Ray had a gift for seeing things from an engineer's perspective and he used that talent to improve the skills and enjoyment of the hobbies he loved.
Ray lived the life of three men in his 65 years, and got to do many things a lot of people would never experience. Charles Ray Floied has forever made his mark on this earth and his legacy will stand the test of time through all of those he has touched.
On Wednesday morning February 8, 2012 Ray passed away at his home in Centerville, TN , and was laid to rest at Chessor Cemetery in Coble, TN.
Take comfort in knowing his soul is finally at peace, and closest to our hearts.
Written by Kisha Chance and Brandie Malugin
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal." Author unknown
"Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation" ~Khalil Gibran
Later in life, Ray moved to Kingston Springs, TN. The first business he began was making and selling jewelry from shell, turquoise, coral and ivory, with a heavy Native American influence.
Ray always had a fervent passion for history. He spent most of his nights reading books on different eras throughout the world. When we took a family trip to Switzerland I can remember the wonder in my Daddy's eyes when we walked the streets of Zurich and toured the many old churches, and forts in the city. Ray always wanted to relive the past and was very interested in the Civil War era and the tales it had to offer. He participated in Civil War reenactments, and with the help of his father and brothers they built reproduction fireable Civil War cannons, some of which are still in existence today.
When machining entered Ray's life, he discovered he had a talent for the trade and the rest was history. He went to work for Nashville Machine Inc., where he learned everything he could to one day run his very own machine shop. An innate touch of genius, coupled with his unrelenting determination, brought forth a self-taught engineer. Anything Ray set his mind to he was sure to bring to fruition. He started out doing small jobs with the few machines he had in the basement at his home inKingston Springs. In the late 80's, he took the leap into the unknown and opened Floied Machine Inc. in Burns, TN. During Ray's Floied Machine Inc. venture, he engineered thousands of parts for industrial companies such as Saturn, Sumiden Wire Products Corp., Tennsco and many others. Ray had an enterprising reputation. He was known for tackling difficult projects that most highly skilled machinist would not touch. His drive to create new things, and make existing ones more efficient brought him great success and opportunity.
Charles Ray was an outdoor enthusiast and avid hunter. His connection with nature was a large part of his life journey. Many of his leisure hours were spent in the company of trees, fields, streams, and nature’s wildlife. When he was not hunting arrow heads, you could find him camping, stalking his next buck, reeling in a large mouth bass, cleaning up litter or any other adventure he might stumble upon. His passion for hunting combined with his innovative skills led to one of Ray’s greatest accomplishments, the invention of the Yardage Master. His revolutionary Yardage Master is a trigger pull bow sight system. It allows the archer to accurately shoot any game animal, at any range, without knowledge of the animal’s distance. Like his father, Ray patented his invention and the Yardage Master is still in use today. In 1997 Ray had the opportunity to go on the hunt of a lifetime in Africa. With his Yardage Master in hand, he traveled to Zimbabwe where he hunted Kudu, Duiker, Sable, Wart Hog and many more. Fishing was another deep rooted love of Ray's and also a means to feed the masses at his many Duck River gatherings. It was no surprise that he found a way to better his fishing experience, as well. He came up with a trolling motor for a pontoon boat that allows the captain to maneuver his vessel in any direction, even 360 degrees, with the ease of a remote control. Ray had a gift for seeing things from an engineer's perspective and he used that talent to improve the skills and enjoyment of the hobbies he loved.
Ray lived the life of three men in his 65 years, and got to do many things a lot of people would never experience. Charles Ray Floied has forever made his mark on this earth and his legacy will stand the test of time through all of those he has touched.
On Wednesday morning February 8, 2012 Ray passed away at his home in Centerville, TN , and was laid to rest at Chessor Cemetery in Coble, TN.
Take comfort in knowing his soul is finally at peace, and closest to our hearts.
Written by Kisha Chance and Brandie Malugin
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal." Author unknown
"Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation" ~Khalil Gibran