Maryboro Lodge Personality: Ray Handley
Ray Handley and Chester Godwin in front of the Handley Lumber sales building, 1970
Ray Handley grew up in Burnt River, where his ancestors farmed, while operating saw and shingle mills. His father, Joseph Handley Jr., bought Fred Chambers’ sash and door factory in Fenelon Falls, which allowed him to dress lumber for sale. In 1937, the company bought a tractor-trailer so they could ship their lumber more efficiently to Toronto. As a boy, Ray became best friends with Chester Godwin, and they would spend countless hours together for the rest of their lives, whether at work or the masonic lodge.
In 1945, Joe passed away, and the business transferred to Mattie, then Ray. Before long, Fenelon Falls residents grew accustomed to seeing Ray and Chester working side by side, as they sold lumber from a small building beside the Helen Street mill. They were both hardworking and made an effort to look after their customers. In an era when people did not watch television, neighbours often gathered to tell stories about the people they knew. Many tales around Fenelon Falls involved Ray Handley. Before long, many people had a hard time distinguishing the larger-than-life Ray from the man who spent every day at the lumber yard with his work clothes on. Ray earned a reputation by telling people exactly what he thought. Some people may have found his openness and honesty off-putting, but he could be very generous and helped many young people get started.
Many customers would never forget Ray’s accounting system. At the beginning of the day, Ray and Chester would empty their pockets and count how much money they had. They would do the same at the end of the day, and the difference would be what they ‘made.’ When someone made a purchase, Ray would pull out his brown leather wallet, typically containing a thick wad of bills (back in the days of $1 and $2 bills).
Initially, Handley Lumber sold lumber that they cut themselves, much of it originating around Burnt River or Crystal Lake. However, beginning around 1960, stamped lumber became mandatory, and Handley’s did not transition to grading lumber. As the years passed, Handley Lumber became a building centre, retailing an ever-increasing variety of materials to keep up with changing construction standards. For years, Handley Lumber produced many wooden windows in the planing mill, but it has become more economical to purchase windows manufactured in a factory, as the volume of sales has drastically increased. Ray continued as company president until he died in 1999. Then the business passed to his four sons. Today, Handley Lumber, now in its fourth generation, is operated by Ray’s grandson, Chris.
