James R. Ray "Jim"

Long-time Austin resident, James Rendall Ray, passed away on April 10, following a brief illness, at the age of 76. Born March 18, 1935, in the south Texas town of Weslaco, Jim's family later relocated to the Panhandle where he grew up on a dairy farm in Abernathy, and

attended Abernathy public schools.

After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Government from Texas Tech in 1958, Jim began an impressive career that would span four decades in the world of government and politics, taking a part-time job as junior staffer in the Washington, D.C., office of the late Texas congressman, George Mahon, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Within a year Jim was named Mahon's Administrative Assistant, thus becoming responsible for managing the office and its entire staff. He'd enrolled at Georgetown University Law School but ultimately dropped out, later joking that the rigors of law school interfered with his social life. A more plausible scenario is that the enormous demands of overseeing the daily activities of one of the most powerful lawmakers in the country most likely left little time for a real social life - unless one counts dinners at the White House - and made law school almost impossible. He remained Mahon's top aide until 1965, when he returned to west Texas with his wife, Susan Murfee, of Lubbock. The two had married in 1963.

From 1965 to 1969, while involved in farming and cattle interests, Jim also was active in real estate and property management – and somehow managed to teach a Political Science class at Texas Tech. But in 1969 the lure of government and politics beckoned once again.

He moved his family to Austin, having signed on as a staff member for the newly elected Texas governor, Preston Smith. Later named the governor's Executive Director of Human Relations, he held the position for the remainder of Smith's two terms in office. When Dolph Briscoe succeeded Smith to the Governor's mansion Jim served on his staff for more than a year before retiring to devote time to the wholesale/retail business he and Susan owned. Unable to stay away from politics entirely though, he spearheaded fundraising for various organizations and campaigns, both within Texas and beyond, from 1975 - 76.

In 1976, Jim and Susan divorced and he was named Special Assistant to then Texas Comptroller, Bob Bullock. Later Jim was appointed State Director of various tax divisions, including state property tax, fuels tax, hotel/motel tax, and Jim's personal favorite: mule traders’ tax. Austin resident, Judith Lovejoy Richardson, originally of Flushing, NY, caught Jim's eye in 1978 and the two were married in 1979. He left the Comptroller's Office in 1985 to return to private

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business for the next 10 years. However, rarely content to tackle only one job at a time, Jim returned to the Comptroller's Office in 1993 to serve in the Claims Division of the Texas Lottery until 1995.

Despite declaring his retirement in 1995, the truth is inactivity so thoroughly bored Jim he continued working throughout his life on projects he found interesting. When, on the rare occasion he did allow himself to put work aside, he enjoyed spending time with Judy

at their cabin in Maine, often arriving days ahead of her flight there because he just liked making the 2,000 mile drive.

Regardless of his locale, one of Jim's favorite later-in-life pastimes was engaging in vigorous complaints about - yes - government and politics. From all corners of Texas to the woods of western Maine, Jim's fierce intelligence and acerbic wit will be sorely missed by those who had the immense good fortune to have sparred with him.

Jim is survived by his wife, Judith Lovejoy Ray; sons, Joseph Kent Ray and wife, Cyndi, Stephen Eugene Ray and wife, Regina; grandchildren, Candice Webster, Staci Arce, Stephen J. Ray, Patrick B Ray, the son of James Lynn Ray, Amber Webster, William Hatfield, Christopher Ray, and four great-grandchildren. He is also survived by the children of Judith Lovejoy Ray, Clark Greenleaf Richardson and wife, Gretchen, Anne Lovejoy Praderas; grandchildren, Leo and Margaret Praderas, and Jackson Richardson.

A Memorial Service, officiated by Chaplain Remington Johnson was conducted on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at Cook-Walden Funeral Home.

The family extends their heartfelt thanks to the many physicians and dentists who treated Jim through the years. They, too, fell prey to his charm and called him a friend.

Donations to the American Heart Association would be a fitting tribute to Jim's memory.