Phyllis Lee Ray

Phyllis was born on Oct. 31, 1946, to Stanley J. Burmeister and Anna Jean Carter Burmeister in Cincinnati, Ohio. She married Robert W. Ray Jr. on Jan. 22, 1966, in Akron, Ohio, and they had four children: Robert, William, Gina and Jeannine. Raising her family brought her joy as did working at EnerSys in Warrensburg, Missouri, where she retired after 20 faithful years.

Phyllis loved to sing and was a 30-year member of Sweet Adelines International, an organization in which she made many special connections with her sisters in harmony. Over the years she sang in four choruses: Heart of Ohio, Akron, Ohio; Greater Cleveland Chorus, Cleveland, Ohio; Show Me Sound (formerly Sedalia Harmony), Sedalia, Missouri; and Kansas City Chorus, Kansas City, Missouri. More recently, her daughter, Gina, joined her in sharing her love for singing with the two Missouri choruses.

Phyllis was “all in” with everything she did. She loved to dress up in costume for Sweet Adeline performances and Christmas. Her favorite holiday was Halloween which happened to also be her birthday! She had a gift for fundraising and volunteering for her choruses stemming from years of dedicated service while providing for her children’s pursuits in the arts and sports. Her lifelong love of dancing even led her to perform a featured dance at an Arthur Murray Dance Studio Showcase at age 72.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, in 2013, her parents, and brother, Lloyd Burmeister.

She is survived by her four children Robert Ray, William Ray, Gina Ray and Jeannine Mequi; grandchildren Melissa Widell, Avery Ray, Randi Nowell, Ben Ray, Isaac Mequi and Jeremy Mequi; great-grandchildren Grayson Ray, Lyric Nowell, Colynn Nowell, Charlotte Ray, Sawan Ray; and her cousin, Vicki Sue Thomas.

Visitation will start at 10:30 a.m. on May 10, 2025, at Rose Hill Funeral Home, 3653 W. Market St., Akron, Ohio, with the funeral service starting at noon. A celebration of life will be held June 14, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Turner Community Garden, 667 S. 55th St., Kansas City, Kansas.