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Majors Ray and Elaine Cross
Majors Raymond and Elaine Cross recently entered honorable retirement—Elaine having served 37 years and Ray, 34.
The daughter of Salvation Army employees, Elaine Wheeler entered training in 1965 from New Mexico and was commissioned with the Witness to The Faith Session in 1967. Her first appointment was to the Pearl Harbor Corps in Hawaii.
Originally from New Jersey, Raymond Cross served in the U.S. Army for three years. Before entering Training School he was assistant at the Colorado Springs Corps. He entered training in 1968 and was commissioned in 1970 with the Undaunted Session and then sent to Everett, Washington as corps officer.
Raymond and Elaine met in 1970 at the camp meetings in Seattle, and wed in 1971. In 1973 their only child, Chad, was born. Chad was promoted to Glory in 1993 while in Guam with the summer service corps.
Together, Ray and Elaine have served as corps officers in Olympia, Wash.; Leeward, Hawaii; Lincoln Heights, Huntington Park, and Ventura, Calif.; and Idaho Falls. They also served at the Booth Memorial Home, at the Trade Department (Ray) and at divisional headquarters for Northern California, Intermountain and Golden State. They entered retirement from Golden State Divisional Headquarters, where Ray was service extension director and Elaine was older adult ministries secretary.
A celebration of service was held at the Colorado Springs Corps with Lt. Colonels Richard and Bettie Love, Golden State divisional leaders, presenting the retirement certificates.
Ray and Elaine are known for their pastoral caring and sincere love of people. They enter retirement in Monument, Colo., where their commitment to the Lord’s service will continue.
Their retirement address is 17067 Pawnee Valley Trail, Monument CO 80132.
