of Mountain Home, AR

January 12, 1935 - February 25, 2020

Reverend Raymond Russell Bachman, 85, of Mountain Home passed away Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at his home. He was born in LaGrange, Indiana, January 12, 1935, the oldest child of Russell R. Bachman, Jr. and Dorothy Lucille (Zeis) Bachman. He graduated from LaGrange High School in 1953 as class salutatorian. During high school and following, he worked for seven years at the local Kroger grocery store.
Ray attended International Business College in Fort Wayne where he received the BSC degree in Business Administration. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1956 and spent two years on active duty in which he was a personnel specialist. He attained the rank of Sp4 and was honorably discharged in 1962. It was during his time at Fort Lewis, Washington, that Ray experienced what he called his ''real birthday'' when he received Jesus Christ as his personal savior.
Ray continued his education while in the Army with courses from the University of Wisconsin, and after his active duty time he attended Manchester (Indiana) College and Taylor University, Upland Indiana, where he received the BS degree in secondary education. He also attended the Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana and graduated with the MDiv. Degree from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta Georgia. He also studied at the Jerusalem center for Biblical Studies in Jerusalem. After graduating from Taylor University in 1961, he began his Christian ministry in Elkhart, Indiana.
In Elkhart, Ray met and married Ruth Alene Fuzzell in 1963. They were the parents of three surviving children: David W. (Frances) Bachman of Cleveland, Ohio; John M. (Adrianne) Bachman of Damascus, Pennsylvania, and Hannah M. (Chad) Beck of Buda, Texas; and one granddaughter Emma of Cleveland. Ruth died in 2003 after 40 years of marriage and ministry with Ray.
Ray served seven United Methodist Churches in Georgia, Indiana, and Arkansas. He also ministered in six congregations of the Missionary Church in Michigan and Indiana. In 1975, the Bachmans went to Haiti where they served with International Child Care for whom Ray was Business Administrator of Grace Children's Hospital. They also organized an English language congregation, Quisqueya Chapel, which he returned to pastor in 1988. He was also a denominational evangelist in The Missionary Church. His travels have taken him to Canada, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Germany, the Bahamas, Guatemala, and Mexico.
In 1997, Ray began a Hispanic ministry resulting in the formation of the church, Iglesia Estrella de la Mañana of LaGrange. He also worked with the congregation for several years in operating a social service agency for Hispanics called Centro V.I.D.A.
In 2004 Ray married Jeanne Fuller Engeler, his friend from childhood and high school days in LaGrange, Indiana. They have resided in Mountain Home, Arkansas, since that time. In these last years, their ministry has focused on his writing and Bible teaching and Jean's Christian art greeting cards. He has authored eleven books and many Bible study materials. For several years, he wrote a weekly newspaper column entitled, ''Looking Up.''
Ray and Jean have spent their winters at Avon Park Holiness Camp in Florida where he has been the winter Bible teacher. Locally, he served briefly as pastor at both the Wesley United Methodist Church in Cotter and the Norfork United Methodist Church. He completed 58 years of active Christian ministry in June of 2019.
In addition to his children, Ray is survived by his wife Jeanne of Mountain Home; two sisters: Deanna M. Holcomb and Donna B. Miller; one brother: Everett F. (Carole) Bachman all of LaGrange, Indiana and Jeanne's family: three sons: Gordon ''Rick'' Engeler III of Springdale, Rodney (Diana) Engeler of Conway, David (Paula) Engeler of Mountain Home, and one daughter: Sally (Darrel) Williams of Mountain Home; seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one grandson and great-granddaughter.
Ray chose as his life verse these words of Jesus recorded in John 15:5: ''I am the vine; you are the branches. Apart from me you can do nothing.''
A memorial service will be held between 11am-12 Saturday, February 29, 2020 at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Cotter, Arkansas with Pastor Jimmie Snow officiating. A luncheon will immediately follow at the church. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Greenwood Cemetery in LaGrange with arrangements under the care of Frurip-May Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to the Wesley United Methodist Church, Norfork United Methodist Church, or LaGrange United Methodist Church.

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