Ray Nettles Obituary

Ray Nettles attended Englewood High School in Jacksonville, FL. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Ray Nettles.

Graduation Year	Class of 1968
Date of Passing	Aug 29, 2009
About	Ray Nettles, a former Englewood High middle linebacker who went on to stardom in the Canadian Football League and became the first native Floridian inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame, died Tuesday afternoon at a Southside Hospice after a prolonged battle with liver and lung cancer. He was 60. Ray was born August 1, 1949 in Jacksonville to the late Lucille B. and Ernie W. Nettles. He graduated from Englewood High School in 1968. He attended the University of Tennessee from 1968-1972, where he lettered in Football for three years as a middle linebacker. In 1972, Ray was a sixth-round draft pick for the Miami dolphins. Even though he made the team, Ray chose to go to Vancouver, BC, Canada, to play for the Canadian Football League for nine years. His second year he was named Best Defense Player by winning the Schenley Award. In 2005, Ray was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame, the first professional football player from the Jacksonville area to achieve that accolade. Ray always lived life to the fullest. God used him to touch many lives, especially the final year of his earthly life. Ray will be remembered for his great sense of humor, childlike spirit, love of animals and his beautiful baby blue eyes, which only saw the good in all. Ray never knew a stranger. He will be dearly missed. Ray is survived by his loving wife, Bonnie; his sisters, Anne Cummins (Eddie) of St. Augustine, Connie Elliott (Gary) and Adele Smith of Jacksonville; his brother, Gregory Nettles of Jacksonville; two stepsons, Logan Pasch of Jacksonville, and Brandon Pasch of Madison, Wisconsin; numerous nieces and nephews, as well as an abundance of lifelong friends and football teammates . There wasn't a sweeter more sincere person at EHS.. he was a friend to all who passed him in the halls at EHS. Always humble . always there for you.. We miss him and his fun loving ways..

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Violet Kay Ragan '67 said:

Ray was a fun loving wonderful young man. He could have been an actor because he was one of the lead players in the musical, The “Fantastic his junior year of Highschool! He is missed everyday!!

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