Ray, as he was known by friends and family, was born on November 29, 1916 in Quincy, a son to Charles Roy and Mary Adeline Shirt Rossiter. On March 13, 1954 he was married to Inez Emily Hall in Keokuk, Iowa. She died on December 13, 1999.

Ray enjoyed spending time with family, hunting and fishing. For the major part of his working career he was a truck driver. He drove for Meinhart Cartage Company for over thirty (30) years until his retirement in 1973. He was a member of the National Rifle Association and a former member of the Teamsters.

He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Golden, Illinois where he was baptized later in life.

Ray is survived by three sisters, Bette Jean Mullen and her husband Robert, Rosemary Grace Boden, and Margaret Ann Qualls all of Quincy; five children, Donald Ray Rossiter and his wife Jennifer of La Prairie, Illinois; Terry Edwards of Canton, Illinois; Jerry Long and his wife Barb of Paloma, Illinois; Charles E. Rossiter and his wife Denise of Coatsburg, Illinois; Walter William Rossiter and his wife Debra of Clayton, Illinois; seventeen grandchildren and twenty- five great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Inez Emily Rossiter; two brothers Samuel Roy Rossiter and Walter Kenneth Rossiter; a sister Dorothy Story; a grandchild Melinda Lynn Long; two great-grandchildren, Kylee Bivens and Starr Watkins.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 14, 2008 at 2:00 pm at Hansen-Spear Funeral Home with the Rev. Scott Swigart officiating. Visitation will be on Sunday from 3-6 pm at the funeral home. Burial will be in Greenmount Cemetery. Memorials may be made to St. Vincent's Home.