A helicopter pad in eastern Collier County has a new name and it should be a familiar one.
“There's a lot of folks that are unsung heroes, that just kind of go along and, and my friend Larry's certainly one of those," Collier County Commissioner Bill McDaniel said after he and fellow board members agreed to name a Collier County Sheriff's Office helicopter pad after Larry Ray.
Ray is a familiar name in Collier County, he spent three terms as the tax collector. But the decision to name the helicopter pad after him goes beyond that.
Ray is a decorated 22-year Army veteran who served two tours in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot.
After moving to Naples in the mid-1990s, he was instrumental in the expansion of the Naples Community Hospital.
He retired in 2021.
“Well, I want to thank the commission and especially Commissioner McDaniel for this honor. Certainly, an honor — an unexpected honor," Ray told the commissioners. "But I'm proud of my service. I was proud serving the citizens of the United States in those years and hostile action and I certainly was proud to serve the citizens of Collier County as the tax collector. And the DMV guy, hunting, fishing guy. So thanks a lot. I appreciate it. It's been a pleasure to be down here had been down here in a while. Spend a lot more time on the golf course now.”
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