Jessse “Ray” Coomes, 79, died in Bremerton on Jan. 12, 2011.

Mr. Coomes was born to Egbert and Viola Coomes Sept. 20, 1931, in Bend, Ore. He is survived by his wife Hazel Coomes, daughter Louise Coomes, son Scott Coomes, brother Robert Coomes and sister Dorothy Barnes.

Mr. Coomes graduated from Grant Union High and School Grant Technical College, both in Sacramento. He served in the navy from 1948 to 1954. He moved to Vashon Island in 1966 from Las Vegas. He was a vocational instructor at Vashon High School from 1971 to 1982. He also worked at Olympic Instruments, Vashon Industries and Vashon Propane.

Mr. Coomes enjoyed diving, automotive mechanics and flying his airplane. As a self-taught engineer while working in the aerospace industry, he worked with instrumentation on the early liquid fuel rocket engines, and he developed the explosive bolts that separate the rocket stages. He also owned JRC McIntosh, Inc., which manufactured electronic components.

A celebration of his life will be held at the Vashon High School commons on 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5. Family suggests donations be sent to Vashon Island Fire & Rescue.