Ray Gene Spindler

Ray Gene Spindler, age 92, passed away peacefully on September 2, 2026, on the 48th anniversary of his marriage to Elaine Spindler.

Ray was born on January 22, 1934, in Superior, Wisconsin, to George Spindler and Bertha (Krause) Spindler. He grew up with siblings, Ted, Bud, Keith and Patricia, and graduated from Bemidji High School in 1951. He attended Bemidji State College earning degrees in Elementary Education and Elementary School Administration.

Ray moved to Great Falls, Montana, where he devoted his career to education as an elementary school principal at McKinley, Morningside and Lincoln Schools until his retirement in 1987. Before becoming a principal, he taught school on the Iron Range in Minnesota.

Ray and Betty Aitcheson were married in Minnesota in 1955 and raised four children: Ray, Kory, Scott and Bart. On September 2, 1978, he married Elaine Colie, together they welcomed daughter Eileen.

Golf was one of Ray’s great joys. A longtime member of the Meadowlark Country Club in Great Falls Montana, he recorded an impressive seven holes-in-one, and he and his friend Paul Edwards played in the Lark Member:Guest tournament together for 38 consecutive years. He also loved spending winter months in Bucerias, Mexico hanging out at the beach reading a book and playing beach bocce with friends and family.

Some of his fondest memories with his family were hunting with Bart and Scott, watching Ray compete in baseball and basketball in junior high and high school, coaching and playing golf with Eileen; making french fries and hamburgers for Jess; and spending time with Kory and her family as her children grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and Post Falls, Idaho.

Ray is survived by his wife, Elaine Spindler; his children Ray Spindler, Kory Doerfler and her partner Paul Udorvich and Scott Spindler and his wife Cindy Evetts Spindler, and Eileen Spindler and her husband Brian Kudlow.

He is also survived by ten grandchildren: Jess Prather, Kyle Doerfler, Shea Doerfler, Cali Doerfler, Emily Spindler, Elizabeth Spindler, Bradley Spindler, Kristina Spindler, Nathan Spindler, and Axel Compton; and eight great-grandchildren: Ellie Prather, Ava Prather, Allison Spindler, Ryan Spindler, Hayden Doerfler, Brodie Doerfler, Jade Spindler and Corbin Spindler.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Bertha Spindler; his son Bart, who died in a car accident in 2007; his siblings Bud, Ted, Keith and Patricia.

Services

A family celebration of life will be held on November 14, 2026, in Green Valley. A celebration of life for friends will be held at a later date.

Memorials

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Great Falls Public Schools Educational Foundation.

https://gfpsfoundation.org/donate/

Acknowledgments

The family wishes to thank the staff at Villa Rosa for the care and kindness shown to Ray. Condolences may be shared at https://www.greenvalleymortuary.net/