The Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League announced the passing of Business Manager Ray McKelvie
McKelvie was instrumental in attracting the Platers Ontario Hockey League franchise to the city of Owen Sound from Guelph in 1989.
Originally a minority owner with the Holody Family, McKelvie also served as the General Manager of the team from 1994 to 2000.
When the Platers were sold to local business operators in 2000, McKelvie remained with the newly-named Attack and has been the Business Manager for more than 2 decades with the club.
Dr Bob Severs is the president of the Owen Sound Attack & he spoke to Fred Wallace about the positive impact Ray McKelvie had on the organization.
Ray McKelvie is a member of the Owen Sound Sports Hall of Fame and is survived by his son, Scott, and his daughter, Susan and was pre-deceased by his wife Georgina.
Funeral arrangements are being made and will be announced shortly.
from attackhockey.com
The Owen Sound Attack family is deeply saddened by the news of the passing of team Business Manager Ray McKelvie on Thursday night following a battle with cancer at the age of 87.
Major Junior hockey would not exist today in the Scenic city if it were not for Ray convincing the Holody family to move the Guelph Platers to Owen Sound prior to the 1989-90 season. Over the next 10 years he was an integral part of the teams’ operations first as the team comptroller and minority owner and then taking on the role as the Platers Director of Hockey Operations. Despite selling his interests in the hockey club to the current ownership group in 2000, he would stay on as the newly named Owen Sound Attack’s Director of Business Operations, a position he continued to hold until today.
Ray has received many accolades over his time in Owen Sound, though he was never a person who liked the limelight. In May 2013 he was honoured by the Ontario Hockey League being named the Bill Long award winner for Distinguished Service which is presented in recognition and appreciation of outstanding contributions to the OHL. Locally he was inducted into the Owen Sound Sports Hall of Fame as a builder in 1993.
While his business and hockey operations contribution to the success of the Plater/Attack organization is undeniable, it was his commitment to family and the community that those who were close to him would say was his biggest impact, extending well beyond the walls of the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre. He, along with his late wife Georgina, were major contributors to many charitable and community organizations in the area. They were also huge supporters of youth sport and could be found any night in an arena or at a ball field taking in a game or at the track enjoying some horse racing.
“Ray McKelvie was a driving force behind the Platers and Attack for 33 years” said Attack President and Member of Team Ownership Dr. Bob Severs. “His foresight and commitment to hockey in the Grey Bruce region led him to open the door to the Platers in 1989 and to help to facilitate the change in ownership in 2000 that kept the franchise in Owen Sound.”
“The area’s hockey fans owe Ray a debt of gratitude and his passing leaves an enormous space in the hockey world that will be hard to fill. We will miss him every day” added Severs.
The Attack will honour Ray prior to the start of our next home game on Saturday, December 10 against the Guelph Storm and throughout the remainder of the 2022-23 season with further details to come. The Attack will be providing members of the community the opportunity to submit condolences for Ray on our website. Condolences can be expressed by sending an email to admin@attackhockey.com and can be viewed at attackhockey.com.
The Owen Sound Attack ownership, staff and players send their deepest condolences to the McKelvie family during this difficult time.
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