Long time bladesmith Ray Johnson of Branson & Silver Dollar City has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and has been given but 2 months to live. He has worked right up to now but has been forced now to give up the hammer.
Ray, though not a current ABS member, was a member long ago and knew some of the greats like Bill Moran & Bob Loveless and has been the master bladesmith at Silver Dollar City for probably 30 years.
I'll miss you, Ray. The knife world will be a little less with your loss.
Gary
I got a call today saying that Ray had passed away. When I talked to him on Friday he told me that he didn't fear dying but did fear getting there so I'm glad that he didn't linger. I hope when it's my time that I can work right up to the end as he did.
My thoughts & prayers go out to the family.
Gary
Gary
I am saddened to hear about the passing of Ray Johnson. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
Dan Cassidy
Journeyman Smith
Send an email to Dan
Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.......
[font="Comic Sans MS"]'Never Quit On Improving'[/font]
Very sad news Gary. Our sympathies to his family and friends. I will ring the anvil for him.
Brion
Brion Tomberlin
Anvil Top Custom Knives
ABS Mastersmith
Gary, Sorry for your loss. I will be praying for his family and friends.
Bob
Sorry to hear of Ray's passing. Prayers to his family and friends.
WOW! Sorry to hear it. I knew Ray and sat next to him at some shows in days gone by. He was quite a character.
I have a funny Ray story for you. Some years ago a knife maker here in Mountain View passed away. Someone visiting
Silver Dollar City told him the knife maker in Mountain View had passed away. I get a phone call shortly thereafter and a brusque voice asks if this is Jim Crowell to which I reply in the affirmative. Well this is Ray Johnson up in Silver Dollar City and I heard you was dead. Like Mark Twain, or was it Samuel Clemmons, said: "The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated."
A funny memory.
Ray was the one who got me interested in making knives. My wife and I would stop by about three times a year back in the late 1990s, and I would ask lots of questions. Ray never declined to answer a question. Generally, our conversation would end with Ray advising me to not get into bladesmithing, it's dangerous and you can't make a good living at it. After about four years of our visits, and constant questioning, I signed up for the ABS beginning bladesmith class with Harvey Dean. On the way back to our home near St. Louis after the class, my wife and I stopped by Silver Dollar City to show Ray what I had made. For the first time he invited us into the back room to look at them and discuss kinfe stuff. I felt like I was now a member in the circle of knifemakers. Every visit since then would result in a "come back in here and show me what you made" from Ray.
Our next visit to SDC will be very sad because of the void left by the larger than life "Knifemaker from Silver Dollar City".
