Leon Ray Ferraez Sr., Salvation Army Colonel, died Dec. 7, 2008, at his home in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Born Jan. 26, 1930, in New Haven, Mo., he lived in New Orleans from an early age until leaving to serve in the Marines, after which time he became a professional Salvation Army officer.

His Salvation Army appointments were in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee; 14 years in Mexico City, DF, Mexico; and 14 years as the Army's first National Communications Director at National Headquarters in New Jersey and Alexandria, Va.

He retired to St. Petersburg in 1995 and continued working for The Salvation Army as Director of the Multi-Cultural Department for the divisional headquarters in Tampa until a month prior to his death. A life-long Rotarian, he was active in the St. Petersburg Rotarian Club, which awarded him the Wallace C. Abel 4-Way Test for service to the community and club earlier in the year.

As a young man, he was active in the Jaycees and served one term as the National Director. He was a graduate of Georgia State, Seton Hall University (New Jersey) and earned his Doctorate in Ministries from Notre Dame University, Elkhart, Ind.

Survivors include wife Martha, daughter Felicia Pasquier, son Leon Ferraez Jr., all of St. Petersburg, and daughter, Maricarmen Critides, of Chesapeake, Va.; a brother Fred Ferraez of San Antonio, Fla.; a sister, Dina Bumgarner of Baton Rouge, La.; and 10 grandchildren.

A memorial service will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Salvation Army Citadel, 3800 9th Avenue North, St. Petersburg.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Salvation Army Church, 3800 9th Avenue North St. Petersburg, FL 33713.