Raymond Otis "Ray" Dyal, 77, of Pensacola, FL passed away Thursday, June 2, 2022.

Ray was born on December 31, 1944, in Fort Lauderdale, FL to the late Otis Christopher Dyal and Edna Peggans "Peggy" Dyal. Ray loved flying, traveling, fishing, cooking, especially bar-b-que, music and the company of friends and family. He grew up in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and moved to Lake City in 1960. He graduated from Columbia High School, Lake City, in 1963, and attended the Lake City Community College. Ray received his private pilot's license with instrument ratings at Hallmark Academy in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and was a manager at Dyal Tile and Terrazzo Company, Inc., Fort Lauderdale. He served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War, flying reconnaissance missions over Vietnam with the 553 ^rd Reconnaissance Wing ("Bat Cats"). Following his military service and return to Lake City, he became an officer with the Lake City Police Department, serving as Major/Deputy Chief of Police prior to becoming Sheriff of Columbia County, in May 1984. In January 1985, he became a Special Agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, serving as special agent on the security teams for Governors Graham, Martinez, and Chiles before focusing on investigations of high-profile unsolved crimes. While attached to the Governor's Office, he traveled on multiple assignments, including internationally, with the Florida governor and both Presidents Bush and Reagan. He retired from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in 2004. Returning to Perdido Key, FL, he founded Orange Beach Reel Fun Charters and continued to enjoy his lifelong love of the sea.

He is preceded in death by his sisters, Dolores Patricia Dyal Russell (Walter) and Peggy Anita Dyal Sandlin (Carl).

He is survived by his wife of thirty-three years, Deborah Goodson Dyal; a daughter, Amy Dyal Spence, of Virginia Beach, VA; a granddaughter, Makayla Alexis Spence; three stepchildren, Sherry Camper Herbert, Robert Camper, and Damon Camper; a step granddaughter, Fallon Bulloch; a sister, Linda Jo Ann Dyal Johns (Skip); as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held 10:00am Monday, June 13, 2022, at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel with Rev. Mike Mashburn officiating. Inurnment will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery with military honors.

"A life well lived." You are missed by all, loved by many and will never be forgotten.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project ( www.woundedwarriorproject.org ), or to Tunnel to Towers Foundation ( www.t2t.org ), or to the ASPCA ( www.aspca.org ).