I found out via a post on Jabootu, and this Fangoria article confirms that Ray Dennis Steckler passed away on 7 Jan 2009.
http://fangoriaonline.com/features/21-fearful-features/979-rip-ray-dennis-steckler.html
He directed "Rat Pfink a Boo Boo," "Wild Guitar," and "The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies." He was also involved in the production of "Eegah!" (assistant cameraman, and he is the man tossed into the pool).
Sad. Can't say I enjoyed his movies, exactly, but it was obvious he enjoyed making them.
I visited his video store in Las Vegas (Mascot Video) just because I heard he owned the place. He had sold it before I even got to town, however. The place had turned almost exclusively to porn to survive, but Ray's entire catalog was still there to purchase. I could have picked up some real rarities, but I passed.
R.I.P.
Sorry to hear this. His movies were definitely an acquired taste, but I always found them to be goofy fun.
FUN FACT: There's a story Steckler was fired from the Universal lot after he almost knocked a huge camera onto Alfred hitchcock's noggin.