William Ray Boreham

William Ray Boreham, age 86, of Greensboro, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 26, 2025, at Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital.

Born on April 1, 1939, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Ray was the son of the late William Boreham and Mona Bennett Boreham. He was a devoted son, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose life was marked by hard work, a deep love of family, and a strength that was always felt.

Shared almost 70 wonderful years of marriage with his beloved wife, Micheline Irene Gagnon. Together they built a life rooted in commitment, perseverance, and deep family bonds. He was a proud father to his daughters, Carole Boreham Church, wife of the late John Church, and Kimberly Boreham Van Den Elzen, wife of Pete Van Den Elzen, and a loving grandfather to Michelle Church, Jonathan (Lena) Church, Will (Clarissa)Van Den Elzen, and Natalie Van Den Elzen. He held a special place in his heart for his great-grandchildren, Casey Church and Allie Church.

Ray lived in Canada until 1992, when he and Micheline relocated to Georgia. About 24 years ago, they built a lake house on Lake Oconee, which later became their full-time home nine years ago. Ray loved the lake lifestyle and the sense of peace it brought to their lives.

Professionally, Ray was the proud owner and president of Synmar and Castech, a company specializing in a wide range of solid surface, marble, and quartz products. Prior to that, he owned Sunbelt, a business brokerage firm in Atlanta. Earlier in his career, Ray founded FluoroSeal, a valve manufacturing company that he later sold to Grinnell Corporation. FluoroSeal went on to become a recognized industry leader, particularly in sleeved plug valves, frequently appearing on “best of” lists across the chemical, pharmaceutical, and industrial sectors. Throughout his career, Ray was known as a dedicated and hardworking businessman who took great pride in his work, valued integrity and craftsmanship, and instilled those principles in his children.

Outside of work, Ray had a lifelong love of fishing, a passion he first discovered with his father and brother, Gary Boreham, while growing up in Canada. Over the years, he embarked on countless fishing trips—sometimes with his brother, sometimes on his own—exploring the lakes and rivers of Northern Canada. His home reflected these adventures, with walls adorned by “trophies” from his trips, each fish mount a conversation starter and a reminder of the thrilling experiences, the patience required, and the stories—some tall, some true—that made each outing unforgettable.

Above all else, Ray was a family man. He worked tirelessly to provide for and protect those he loved, always placing their needs ahead of his own. His steady presence, strong work ethic, and quiet generosity will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

The Memorial Service will be held Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 12:00 pm. at Lake Oconee Church, 1101 Village Park Drive, Greensboro, GA 30642.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Ray’s memory to one of the following charities – messages can be sent to kimvandenelzen@yahoo.com: or carolechurch@churchsequipment.ca

Tunnel to Towers Foundation: www.t2t.org/donate

Esophageal Cancer Action Network: www.ecan.org/give-the-gift-of-hope

The online guest register may be signed at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com

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