Funeral services for Ray Hegler will be held on Friday, June 23, 2006 at 4:00pm at Levels Baptist Church with Revs. Larry Scales, David Laird and Gareth Hegler officiating. Interment will follow at Southlawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Thursday evening from 6-8pm at George Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 211 Park Ave. SW Aiken. Mr. Hegler, 81, died Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at his residence. Mr. Hegler was born to Ernest R. and Maude Hinson Hegler in the White Bluff Community of Lancaster County on July 5th, 1924. He attended White Bluff Grammar School and Flat Creek High School. As a young man, he helped his father farm. He also worked some at the Mineral Mining Corporation. He was inducted into the U.S. Navy on May 16, 1944. He took his training at Camp Perry, VA. He was assigned as a gunner on a transport ship operated by the Merchant Marines. He made six round trips to Europe and was discharged on January 23, 1945. He worked with Springs Cotton Mill Construction for seven years before going to work for DuPont at the SRP in July of 1953. He worked as a welder and machinist and retired as a machine foreman in 1982. He worked as a funeral director?s assistant for seventeen years after his retirement from DuPont. Ray was a member of Levels Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and brotherhood director. He met and married Iva Mae Baker Hegler in October 1946. They were blessed with four children; Lynette Hegler Vickery deceased, Gareth Hegler, Beverly Hegler Pilz and Barry Hegler, deceased. Ray is also survived by seven grandchildren and sixgreat grandchildren.