Obituary of Curt Wesley Raby

Curt Wesley Raby, 18, passed away Tuesday, April 8, 2014, in Sarasota, Fla. He was born Oct. 27, 1995, in Port Charlotte, Fla. Curt was happiest when he shared his time with family and friends. He loved being a part of our family. His love was extended to others and to animals. His smile brought joy to our hearts, and we were blessed to have him in our lives. Curt spent 22 months at Gator Wilderness Camp on Farabee Road, near Arcadia, Fla. All of us looked forward to his four-day breaks and his homecoming. Curt was of the Christian faith. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Punta Gorda, Fla., and a member of its baseball team. He also enjoyed his time spent with Young Life, a Christian organization in North Port, Fla. Curt is survived by his mother, Margaret Cheever of Punta Gorda; father, Christopher Wayne Raby of Punta Gorda; brother, Corey Wayne Raby of Punta Gorda; stepfather, Tim Cheever of Punta Gorda; stepbrother, Nicholas Cheever of Richmond, Va.; stepmother, GiGi Raby of Sarasota; stepsister, Patricia Hamza of Sarasota; maternal grandmother, Jessie Lee Salter of Albertville, Ala.; paternal grandmother, Elizabeth "Betty" Raby of Punta Gorda; aunts, Debi Raby and Linda Young, both of Punta Gorda, Joyce Raby (Thomas) Tyrell of Sarasota, Jeane Raby and Lynne Raby, both of North Port, and Rita Murphy of Albertville; uncles, Tim Wesley Salter of Albertville, and Joseph Christener of North Port; and cousins, Michael Salter and Amanda Salter, both of Snead, Ala., Sammy Loyd and Thomas Nelson, both of Highlands County, Fla., and Craig, Bryon and Connor, all of Punta Gorda. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Lincoln Wesley Salter; paternal grandfather, Charles William Raby Sr.; uncle, Charles William Raby Jr.; and stepsister, Tasha Cheever. The family will receive friends from noon until memorial services at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 19, 2014, at Charlotte Memorial Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 9400 Indian Springs Cemetery Road, Punta Gorda, FL 33950. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Curt's name to the funeral home.