Raymond "Ray" Gabba

Raymond “Ray” Thomas Gabba joined his wife and youngest son to be with our Heavenly Father on September 27, 2019 at the age of 86 in Katy, Texas (formerly from Kingsville, Texas).  Ray was born on September 14, 1933 in Thomasville, Connecticut to Elizabeth Stone and Thomas Gabba.  Not much is known about Ray’s childhood except that he was raised in an orphanage from 4 to 17 years of age.  He joined the Marine Corp in March 1950, served his country in Korea and was honorably discharged in March 1960 after also serving five years in the reserves.  He married Margaret “Eileen” Martin on December 22, 1954.

He kept food on the table initially as an iron worker on the Corpus Christi high bridge and then at other companies doing similar construction until he went to work for Champion Petroleum company as an operator and painter in Bishop TX for many years.  He later began the career as a self-taught gunsmith and he and Eileen ran Gabba’s Gun Shop for more than 25 years.  He enjoyed many big Game hunts and was often called to be an expert witness for trials involving guns.  He and Eileen had four children and he was an active member of Knights of Columbus Council 3389.

After retiring from the Gun Shop, Ray and Eileen took many RV trips around the country and their favorite place to visit was Alaska where they returned seasonally for many summers.

He is survived by his sister, Margaret Amourso, daughter Kathy (husband Joe), son Paul (wife Cecilia), son Bobby (wife Linda), grandchildren Ashley Mills, Cory Gabba, Christopher (wife Denise) Gabba and numerous nieces and nephews and their children.

He is predeceased by his wife Eileen, son John Joseph Gabba, both of his parents and siblings Doris Mantione, Robert Gabba, Louie Gabba, Clifford Gabba and Albert Stone.

Visitation is from 5-7 PM on Wednesday Oct 2nd at Turcotte-Piper Mortuary with Rosary starting at 6:00.  A funeral Mass will be held at St. Gertrude’s Catholic Church at 11 AM on Thursday Oct 3rd with internment at Kingsville Resthaven Cemetery.  Pallbearers will sons Paul and Bobby Gabba, grandsons Chris and Cory Gabba, son-in law Joe Mills and nephew John Harwell.

The family wishes to thank Maria Esther Munoz for many years of loving care of our parents while they were in Kingsville and then Tiara Lawson and Rochelle Taylor for their outstanding care and love for my father nearly 24/7 over the last three months.  In lieu of flowers and if anyone wishes to make a donation, the family requests you donate to The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4550 Montgomery Ave, Suite 1100N, Bethesda, MD 20814 (cff.org) or St. Gertrude’s Catholic Church in Kingsville, Texas.