She was born on March 5, 1928 in Verona and was the daughter of the late John Rahn Kegley, Sr. and Victoria Martin Kegley.
Katie grew up in Verona and graduated from Mt. Sidney High School in 1945 and Madison College in 1949. She moved to Mt. Clinton and taught home economics, science and math at Mt. Clinton School for five years, giving up her “paid” education career upon the birth of her first child. She was an active member of Muhlenberg Lutheran Church and Church Women United. Her husband, Harry Emmett “Pop” Ray preceded her in death on January 11, 2011. They were married on November 27, 1952.
While raising their family in Harrisonburg, activities and worship at Muhlenberg were paramount, but they also brought the world into their home, regularly inviting international students and visitors into their family. Using her home economics background, she became active with children including her time as a Den Mother for Cub Scouts, the 4-H program and expanding her skills judging at both the Rockingham County Fair and the Virginia State Fair in Richmond. Having grown up on a dairy farm in Verona, living in the country was always a pull and when the time was right Harry and Catherine moved to Mole Hill in Dale Enterprise. Always involved with the Lutheran college students attending Muhlenberg, they became Mom and Pop to everyone at church. You knew how people were acquainted with them by the moniker they used. Once confident that the children were able to manage on their own, Mom and Pop began visiting their international visitors, particularly in Germany and the Netherlands. Still feeling the tug for a farm, Mom and Pop moved to the Biedler farm south of New Market where she delighted in entertaining more international visitors and her grandchildren, working in her garden, watching her birds, putting the black snakes back in her garden where they belonged, relishing the cattle and horses, and rattling over the covered bridge to her home. When the farm became too much to handle, they moved back to Mole Hill, near Silver Lake, and continued as before but now delivering her neighbors to doctor visits, bringing communion to shut-ins, quilting with her church comfort making group, and preparing funeral meals. Pop had retired while they were at the farm, but her dizzying pace left him bewildered. Mom loved life; she supported those less fortunate and demonstrated to all she met what she understood to be her responsibility, her privilege to serve her fellows. When she turned 80, she set out on a trip to Tanzania, visiting schools and church programs she continued to support, and on the way home, she stopped in the Netherlands and France to once again visit some of the international visitors she had hosted so many years before.
That same year she moved to VMRC, where she continued her outreach proclaiming the good news, visiting shut-ins, sitting with the dying, delivering mail, reciting scripture with her Biblical Story Telling team, and being awarded VMRC Volunteer of the Year in 2014.
She is survived by children David Ray and wife Joyce, of Winchester, Pat Marlowe and husband Ron, of Blacksburg, Joyce Shiflet and husband Jerry, of Broadway, and Joseph Ray and wife Michelle, of Bernardsville, NJ; grandchildren, Jessica, Brian, Johanna, Alyssa, Peter, Chassidy, Megan, Jordan, Annie and Sophie; great-grandchildren, Zoe, Landon, Cora, Titus, Abel, Nora, Tristan, Khloe and Jayden; siblings Mary Ann Rubush of Mt. Sidney and Bill Kegley of Pulaski, VA, sister-in-law Nancy Kegley of McGaheysville, cousin George Kegley of Roanoke; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
She was preceded in death by her brothers John R. Kegley, Jr. and Thomas S. Kegley, grandson Jonathan and granddaughter Faith.
A private family-only memorial service and burial will be held Saturday, January 29, 2022 at Muhlenberg Lutheran Church with Rev. Lauren Eanes and Rev. Alex Zuber officiating. The family invites you to a Celebration of Life to be held at 11:00 am on May 15, 2022 at Muhlenberg Lutheran Church with an outdoor gathering to follow. More information will be made available this Spring at www.muhlenberglutheran.org (540)434-3496.
Friends may pay their respects at Lindsey Funeral Home in Harrisonburg from Monday, January 24 until Friday, January 28 from 9 am – 5 pm.
Contributions to the Muhlenberg Lutheran Church - Comfort Makers, 281 E Market St, Harrisonburg VA 22801 or the VMRC Good Samaritan Fund & Compassion Endowment, 1501 Virginia Ave, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 in honor of Mom will be welcomed.
Lindsey Funeral Home in Harrisonburg is handling arrangements.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family by visiting www.lindseyharrisonburg.com.
