[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 15, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E501-E502]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING MR. RAY MISH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. VALADAO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 15, 2024

  Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. Ray 
Mish, who passed away on April 3, 2024. Mr. Mish was born in Okmulgee, 
Oklahoma on April 24, 1924. He was raised by his grandmother and two 
aunts, who became his caregivers after being separated from his 
parents. He received his first ten years of education in a parochial 
school and finished high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mr. Mish's passion 
for the funeral industry started at a young age, when he worked as a 
sidewalk sweeper for a funeral home. At the age of 15, Mr. Mish began 
working for the funeral home until he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 
1941, when he was 17. He served in World War II and was later honorably 
discharged in Fort Devens, Massachusetts, due to an injury he sustained 
during his service.
  After his service, Mr. Mish moved to California to further his 
education. He earned a business degree with a minor in advertising, and 
later obtained a degree in Mortuary Science from the California 
Mortuary Science College in Los Angeles. After receiving his degree, he 
became a Licensed Funeral Director in the state of California. In 1947, 
Mr. Mish settled in Bakersfield and began working for two local 
mortuaries. He married Betty, his high school sweetheart, in 1951, and 
together they raised two children. In 1960, Mr. Mish and his family 
purchased a vacant building in Oildale. They used this space to open 
their own funeral business, Mish Funeral Home-Oildale. His mission was 
to ensure that every family who visited the funeral home was treated 
with compassion, respect, and honesty--making sure that financial 
constraints did not hinder a family's ability to honor their loved 
ones. Today, Mish Funeral Home-Oildale remains dedicated to this 
mission.
  In addition to managing the family funeral home, Mr. Mish made many 
significant contributions to the Kern County community. As a veteran of 
World War II, Mr. Mish helped form an Honor Guard through the American 
Legion, which he was also a proud member of. He led the first volunteer 
Veterans Honor Guard in Kern County along with the Legion Secretary and 
twelve other legion members. Additionally, Mr. Mish was a member of the 
St. Francis of Assisi Church, as well as numerous clubs including 
Kiwanis Club of Oildale, Lions Club of Bakersfield, Elks No. 266, and 
North Bakersfield Rotary. Mr Mish's service to our country and 
commitment to the Kern County community will always be remembered.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives 
to join me in honoring the incredible life of Mr. Ray Mish.
  


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