Raymond Norbert Zetts, age 88, passed away in his home in Sunset Beach on December 29, 2023

Ray was raised in Youngstown, Ohio, was a graduate of Campbell Memorial High School

and worked at Youngstown Sheet & Tube steel mill. In 1963, he decided to follow his dream

and become a teacher. To meet this goal, Ray attended and received his BA from Rio Grande

College, where he was an assistant coach for the basketball team, and his MA from Case

Western Reserve University.

 

An educator at heart, Ray’s first teaching position was at Cathedral Latin High School (3 years),

where he also coached basketball and baseball. He taught history and political science and

coached basketball, baseball, football and cross country at Hudson High School before retiring

after 26 years.

 

Ray believed in contributing to his community and his service opportunities include;

In Campbell, Ray was active in St. John’s Church and worked with youngsters in CYO sporting

activities. In Twinsburg, Ray worked with youth sports, was an elected member of the

Twinsburg City School District Board of Education for 4 years (President in 1978), and was a

member of the Twinsburg Jaycees. He was a member of the Jaycee committee that developed

“Home Days” which morphed into “Twins Days”. In Sunset Beach, Ray was a member of Saint

Brendan the Navigator Church, The Knights of Columbus, the Brunswick County Animal

League (President for 2 years), the Sunset Beach Turtle Watch, and was on the Board of

Directors for Cat Tails Cat Adoption Service. Ray also ran a cat spay/neuter/adopt/release

program in Sunset Beach and had over 500 cats adopted.

 

Ray was an avid collector. While living in Ohio, Ray was a member of the National Association

of Breweriana Advertising (NABA) and accumulated a very large breweriana collection. As a

member of the association, he organized and hosted the NABA National Convention in

Cleveland, Ohio in 1982. While living in Sunset Beach, Ray developed a collection of over 1200

college team logo golf balls.

 

Ray was an avid fan of high school and college athletics. He followed Ohio State University, the

University of Georgia, West Chester University, the Big Ten Conference and local high schools.

 

Ray is survived by his loving wife of 66 years Carmel R. Zetts (Graziano) and his son Raymond

Zetts. Please join us at a memorial mass at St. Brendan the Navigator Church in Shallotte,

NC at 10 am on Wednesday January 24, 2024, with a reception to follow,. In lieu of flowers,

donations can be made to Cat Tails Cat Adoption Service ( https://cattails.org/ ), the Sunset

Beach Turtle Watch ( http://www.sunsetbeachturtles.org/ ), Loaves and Fishes at St. Brendan’s

( https://stbrendanshallotte.org/2020/05/21/loaves-and-fishes-food-pantry-is-open/ ) or your

favorite organization.

 

Brunswick Funeral Service, Shallotte, NC