Ray R. Vinson, Jr.

Ray Reed Vinson, Jr., age 72, of Temple passed away Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at his residence. Services will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, March 24 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home. Burial will be at Bellwood Memorial Park. Our beloved father and Papa Ray is now with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and beloved angel Patty. Ray was born in Wichita Falls, TX, August 28, 1934, to Raymond Reed Vinson, Sr. and Helen L. Henderson Vinson. He entered the Christian Ministry in 1958 at Tulia, TX where he also began college nearby at West Texas State College in Canyon, TX. He then ministered three years as pastor of the First Christian Church in Muleshoe, TX. Ray graduated from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX in 1962 with a degree in Psychology. He continued his education at Brite College, at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX, where he was ordained as a minister, all while raising a family. Ray's family moved to Lancaster, CA in 1963, where he took his first fulltime position as the minister of the First Christian Church of Antelope Valley until 1968. After working for L. A. County as a social worker, he worked for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation over a 20 year period. He proudly worked on the L-1011 commercial jumbo jet, and later, the F117A stealth fighter. He retired and moved back to Texas. Patty and Ray Vinson, Jr. were married in Austin, TX on July 23, 1977. She brought two children into the marriage from a former marriage. Ray had three children by a former marriage. For over 28 years they enjoyed seeing their children grow into adults, then subsequently the births and growth of grandchildren. Ray Vinson loved and served The Lord his God with all his heart, mind, soul and strength. He and his dearly departed wife Patty were members of, and served in, the First Christian Church of Temple and First Christian Church, Belton, TX. He and Patty co-pastored at the First Christian Church, Lockhart, Texas (two separate terms) and the Central Christian Church, Lampasas, TX. The couple were dedicated members of the First United Methodist Church of Temple, where they participated in the Saints & Sinners Church School Class. Ray also helped serve Meals on Wheels, and worked and contributed to CTLC (Churches Touching Lives for Christ) in Temple. Ray Vinson concluded his work here on earth for his Lord on March 14, 2007. We are forever blessed by Ray's dedicated love, ministry and life; daughter and son-in-law – Kathy and Jim Fronsdahl of San Jose, CA; daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons – Karen, Phil, Philip and David Carpenter of Redding, CA; step-daughter, stepson-in-law and grandson – Cindy, Fred and Sam Behrenfeld of San Antonio; stepson, stepdaughter-in-law, grandson and granddaughter – Greg, Katie, Tyler and Caroline Vaughn of New Braunfels.