RAPID CITY Rebello S. (Ray) Vitali, 96, of Rapid City, died at the Clarkson Health Care Facility on Monday, January 24, 2011. Ray was born on June 28, 1914, in Mulberry, Kansas. In 1925, he moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he graduated from Pershing High School. He attended the Detroit Institute of Technology at night while working at Dodge Motor Company. He began working in the ceramic tile business in Detroit, prior to WWII. Ray enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1941and served as an airplane mechanic. His tour of duty included Libya, Egypt, Tripoli, Tunisia and Algeria over a period of two and one half years. He earned over eight different service medals while serving his country. Upon his discharge and return to Detroit, he met and married Jane M. Piersante on November 24, 1945. He joined his fathers tile business, Vitali Tile, in Detroit as an estimator and tile mechanic. The company left Detroit after WWII and, in 1952, Ray and Jane moved to Rapid City to help run the Vitali Tile Co., which they eventually owned and operated until retiring in 1979. Ray served on the board of the Rapid City Builders Association and was a violinist for the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra for 35 years. He was known throughout the country as a master in repairing violins and, through the years, handcrafted a number of violins which are still being used today by those who were fortunate enough to receive them. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jane, in June of 2006, and is survived by his brother, Bruce Vitali of Rapid City, sisters Clarine Lang and Clara Vitali of Michigan and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home with the Rev. Brian Lane presiding. Inurnment will be at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. A memorial has been established for the Rushmore VFW Post 1273.