Bud Raley Passed away

[Chad_Scott]

Bud Raley, father of “Chet Raley” and 2 time waterski national champion, two time national record holder and multiple time regional champion passed away on December 23, 2020. The Raley’s wanted the waterski family to know that he is skiing in the heavens today.

[MickeyThompson]

The Raley family will be in our prayers.

[dchristman]

So sorry to hear. I have great memories of annual spring pilgrimages to Florida with Bud, Ken Mead, Al Luck, and Jim Mandolos, first to Lakeland and later to Okeeheelee when it opened. Bud was a ski tuner. I still have a ski that he sanded the bevels on. I was certainly apprehensive when he took the sandpaper to my new ski, but darn if it didn't help!

 

[6balls]

I will shut down all thoughts today for a moment and pay respects to a great one.

[oldmanskier]

I met Bud at the 2016 Nationals at San Marcos.

Chet and Sherry had a house there at the time.

Bud and Chet's Mom (who lived close by) came to watch Chet ski.

Chet had told me many stories about being a young person and having Bud as a dad.

I got to sit and talk with Bud for a couple of hours during the BIG Dawg competition.

Very interesting person to talk to.

We talked about everything from his skiing days with Chet to his Church and his Christian faith.

That was one of the highlights of my trip to San Marcos was getting to meet and talk to Bud.

Bud is skiing in the heavens today.

Prayers of comfort for Chet, his mom, brother and sister during this time.

Tom Smothers

 

 

 

[oldmanskier]

Correction it was the 2014 Nationals at San Marcos that I met Bud.

Tom Smothers