Raymond T. Cheek

Raymond Townsend Cheek, Sr., of Simpsonville, formerly of Miami, FL and Vero Beach, FL, and widower of Joan Curtin Cheek, passed away peacefully on July 18, 2023.

Born in Brevard, NC on February 8, 1929, he was the son of John Perry and Lola Townsend Cheek. Ray graduated from Brevard College and worked for the DuPont Corporation for 2 years before applying for US Air Force flight training. While waiting to be accepted, he worked for the city of Hollywood, FL as a swimming instructor and lifeguard. After completing flight training, he graduated and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. While in gunnery school and flying the F-86 Sabre fighter, the Korean War ended and he was assigned to an all-weather F-86D squadron near Knoxville, TN. The squadron patrolled several thousand miles around Oak Ridge, TN which was producing atomic bomb material. Ray was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant while there. After completing his required time in the Air Force, he received an honorable discharge. He then joined Eastern Air Lines as a pilot and later as an instructor. He instructed on the DC 9, Lockheed 1011 and the DC 10 aircrafts. He had a fulfilling and successful career of 31 years. Ray also had a strong faith in God and deeply loved his country and his family.

While in Knoxville, Ray met Joan Curtin and they were happily married for 62 years. They are survived by two children: Raymond T. Cheek, Jr. (Sandra) of Sebastian, FL and Cynthia Cheek Stewart (James) of Simpsonville; grandchildren, Amanda Stewart Mattison (Brian) of Simpsonville and Gregory Stewart (Elizabeth) of Travelers Rest. He is also survived by seven great-grandchildren: Bradley Crowell, Callie and Townsend Mattison, Chapman, Rayleigh, Ryder and Cadence Stewart.

The family would like to thank the staff at Fairview Park Assisted Living for their passionate and professional care of Ray.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at Cannon-Byrd Memorial Park in the Whispering Waters Memorial Garden.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607. These are organizations that Joan and Ray believed in and supported for many years