Obituary
Raymond Melven Gatt

Raymond Melven Gatt peacefully passed away at his home surrounded by family on March 8th, 2024, at the age of 66 after a year and a half battle with brain cancer. Ray was born on December 2nd, 1957, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Josephine “Jessie” Antoinette Bugelli and the late Joseph Benedict Gatt. He lived a fulfilling journey in many diverse locations throughout his lifetime. His early life was split between Detroit and Malta, where he felt fortunate to spend time with extended family. Although his time in Malta was brief, it left a lasting impression on him, especially in his love for Maltese cuisine and culture. His mother remarried in Malta and the family emigrated with his stepfather to Ontario, Canada. Ray spent the remainder of his childhood in Oshawa and at 16 years old he met his sweetheart and life partner, Sharon. Five years later they married at St. Gregory Catholic Church. Ray continued his education at The Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology, focusing on the aviation industry. The pair had 3 children and raised their family in several different locations in Canada and the United States, while following Ray’s career. After becoming empty-nesters, Ray and Sharon settled in Raleigh, NC, where they loved the great weather and friendly people. He enjoyed planting fruit trees in the backyard and working on projects in his fully equipped garage workshop. Ray excelled in various roles throughout his aviation career, including aircraft maintenance engineering, supervisor of production and experimental flight testing, and traveling as a field service representative in North America and Europe. After many years with Bombardier/Boeing, Ray transitioned to an independent consultant. He spoke fondly of his colleagues and appreciated the friendships that extended beyond the workplace. Outside of his consulting work, he was dedicated to developing and patenting meltable wax-fueled energy devices, aspiring to make a positive impact on the world by offering an alternative energy source. Ray continually worked for the betterment of a good future for his family. He had a brilliant mind and was witty, creative, and a great cook. He loved a good challenge and learned how to make Maltese Pastizzi and Italian DOC pizza, fired in a stone pizza oven he built by hand. He enjoyed sharing his culinary creations with friends and family at many memorable gatherings. He had a heart of gold and always embraced loved ones with a hug. Ray formed deep connections with a select few, often engaging in long conversations about religion, fiery political debates, or exchanging lengthy text messages filled with captivating content. He was a skilled artist, model ship builder, wood carver and more. He spent quality time with his grandchildren, teaching them how to sketch, fish, and use power tools at a young age. Ray was a devout Catholic, a loving husband, a patient and caring father, and an amazing “Papa”. Ray was the beloved husband of Sharon (nee Woodhouse) for 44 years. He was a proud father to Stacey (Mike) Christopher, Yvonne (Dan) Gautsch, and Curtis (Mercedes) Gatt, and a treasured Papa to seven grandchildren: Riley, Sienna, Niall, Gabriel, Daniel, Liam, and Micah. He was also a stepson to Joseph Marmara (Jean “Jess” Carrick), a dearest brother to Natalie Marmara (Rod King) and Kevin (Jane) Marmara, and cherished nephew and cousin to many. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, May 17th at 3pm at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, 715 Nazareth St. Raleigh, North Carolina followed by a private reception. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Musella Foundation to support research for Glioblastoma Brain Tumors at virtualtrials.org He will be deeply missed. May his soul rest in eternal peace, surrounded by the love of God.