Jeter Memorial Funeral Home
Harold Cecil Raley was born in Morgan County, Alabama, November 23, 1934 and died August 21, 2024. He was predeceased by his parents William Barthel Raley and Verna Hooper Raley, and sister Geraldine Raley McKenzie, widow of James E. McKenzie. The Raley family relocated to adjacent Cullman County where Harold graduated from West Point High School in 1953. Working at various jobs to raise college money, he graduated from Athens College (Alabama) in 1959 with majors in English and French. He then entered graduate school at the University al Alabama, earning his MA in Romance Languages in 1961 and his PhD in Spanish Studies in 1966. He also studied German, Latin, Portuguese and Hebrew. Spanning over fifty years, he taught Spanish, French and literature at the University of Alabama, North Texas State University and Oklahoma State University, University of Houston, Houston Christian University and Alvin Community College. In 1967, he was named Head of Foreign Languages at Oklahoma State University. In 1977 he accepted the chairmanship of Foreign Languages at the University of Houston and in 1994 was named Dean of Humanities, Scholar-in-Residence and Distinguished Professor at Houston Christian University. He lectured at universities in the United States, Canada, Spain and Colombia, South America. He also found time to serve his community on the Friendswood Library Board for several years and two terms on the Friendswood City Council (1990-1994) the second as Mayor Pro-tem.
Harold wrote six books of fiction, twenty on languages, philosophy, history and theology; authored scores of newspaper columns on history, science, and intellectual topics; and dozens of professional articles and book reviews. He also translated several books, saw several of his books translated into Spanish and wrote extensively in Spanish himself. In his later years, prominent intellectuals in Spain and Latin America call him "the foremost hispanist of our time."
He joined the U.S. Army Reserves in 1953, did basic training and was honorably discharged in 1961. He was proud of his marksmanship of the firing range, scoring highest in his training unit at Fort Jackson. He attributed hit to "having grown up with guns." However, he disliked killing animals and gave up hunting entirely as a young man.
In 2000, in collaboration with son David Raley, PhD, he founded Halcyon Press, a successful book publishing enterprise. Although publications were suspended in 2012 to give Harold a failed try at retirement and to allow David to make a successful entry into Academia as a professor of history, the company continues to generate income.
Harold was Baptist by family tradition and early conversion. Later he migrated to the Episcopal Church but found much to admire in nearly all Christian traditions from Catholicism to Quakerism. Nothing truly Christian was alien to him. Well-read in the Bible since childhood, he taught Bible classes several times during his life.
Harold is survived by his wife of 62 years Vicky Gonzalez Raley; children from his first marriage: Landy Raley (Marsha McKay Raley), Phyllis Raley Murphy (Darryl Murphy), Susan Raley Gregg (Duan Gregg); from his marriage to Vicky; Laura Raley Borda (Guillermo Borda), Ana Raley Dison (Thomas Dison), David Raley (Taryn Beshara Raley). Surviving siblings: Darrell Raley (Janet Goodson Raley), Janice Raley Powell (Auburn Nethery), Joyce Raley Lowry. Ten grandchildren: Lindsay, Collier, Brandon, Suzanne, Trudie, Julian, Sebastian, Olivia, William and Michael. Nine great grandchildren, several cousins and many nieces and nephews.
Friends are cordially invited to join the family for a visitation on Friday, August 30, 2024, at 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Jeter Memorial Funeral Home, 311 North Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, Tx. 77546. (281) 992-7200. The Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, August 31, 2024, at 11:00 AM at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 1207 Winding Way Dr. Friendswood, Texas 77546. The burial will follow at 2:00 PM at Friendswood Friends Cemetery.
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