ASHTON

Ray J. Forney, age 84, passed away at his home on Saturday, May 10, 2014. He was born on May 24, 1929 in Ogle County to Ruben and Cora Bogard Forney. Ray married Alvera D. Partington on January 1, 1950 in Dixon, Illinois; she preceded him on November 26, 2013.

He served in the U.S. Army during WWII. He owned and operated Ray J. Forney Trucking and was the Mayor of Ashton for 28 years serving from 1977 to 2005. He was a member of the Ashton United Methodist Church, American Legion Post 345, life member of Ashton Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite of Freeport: Tebala Shrine, and past director of the Honda Patrol. He was past president of the Illinois Municipal League, Northern Illinois Mayor Association and of the Rock River Development. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Rita J. Mahaffey, brother, Albert Forney and sister, Dorothy Todd.

Ray is survived by his 3 grandchildren: Kyle (Janna) Mahaffey of Ashton, Megan (Clinton) Keene of Ashton, and Kirsten Mahaffey of Rock Falls; 2 sisters: Hazel Stein of Byron and Violet (Roger) Kleffel of Rockford, and 4 great grandchildren.

The funeral service will be 10:00 A.M., Thursday, May 15, 2014 at the United Methodist Church of Ashton with Pastor Sang Hun Han officiating. The visitation will be on Wednesday from 5 - 7 P.M. at the Unger Horner Funeral Home, 400 N. 6th St., Rochelle with a Masonic Service at 7 PM. Burial is at the Ashton Cemetery with Military Rites. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the United Methodist Church of Ashton.