Raymond Lee Kunkel , 79, of Johnson City and formerly of Stonewall, died Friday, Feb. 10, 2017.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16, in Trinity Lutheran Church in Stonewall with the Rev. Jim Boatright and the Rev. Percy Smerek officiating. Drexel Hallaway will be the vocalist and Hazel Hanson the organist.

Ray was born Aug. 4, 1937, in Priddy, the fifth of 14 children to Fritz Kunkel and Nelda Stegemoller Kunkel. He married Rosie Lee Lindig on June 26, 1971, and she survives.

He was one of the original crew members for the restoration projects at the Johnson Settlement and Boyhood Home in Johnson City, starting in September 1972. Over the years, he served as lead job foreman, exhibits specialist, project supervisor and restoration specialist with the National Park Service. Along with the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, he did restoration work at Lincoln's Home, Alcatraz, St. Louis Arch, at lighthouses and more. He retired in 1994.

He and his family also owned and operated barbecue restaurants, and was known to many as "Uncle Kunkel".  He was proud of the fact that he catered barbecues at the LBJ Ranch for Lady Bird Johnson.

In addition to his wife, Ray is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Rayette and Ray Bible of Johnson City, and Yvonne and Russell Hartmann and Yvette and Drexel Hallaway, all of Stonewall; five grandchildren, Zackery Bible, Taylor Bible, Zane Bible, Kelsey and Levi Robison and Alyssa Hartmann, and two great-grandchildren, Dacey Robison and Allie Robison.

He is also survived by the following brothers and sisters and their spouses: Don and Susan Kunkel of Pennsylvania, Wayne and Carole Kunkel of Washington, Jo Ann Cooper of New Mexico, Janice and C.L. French of Texas, and Faye and Jim McKay of Texas, along with 25 nieces and nephews, numerous great-nieces and great-nephews, and many cousins, friends and family.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Bill Kunkel, John Kunkel, Leroy Kunkel, J.C. Kunkel, and sisters, Lenora Kunkel, Nadine Schuman, Dorothy Atwood and Wilma Chambers.

Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, PO Box 1831, 100 Lady Bird Lane, Johnson City, Texas 78636 in Memory of Ray Kunkel

The celebration of life will continue with a reception at the Event Center, located at the Johnson Settlement in Johnson City.

Arrangements under the direction of Crofts-Crow Funeral Home, Johnson City, TX. crofts-crowfuneralhome.com