Herschell Garrett Ray

Herschell Garrett Ray was born on December 17, 1914 and passed away at the age of 100 on November 3, 2015 of natural causes. He worked at the Menger and Gunter hotels before he joined the Army Air Corp in WW II. He attained the rank of sergeant and was an engine mechanic on B-17s and P-51s while stationed in Blackpool, England. He returned to San Antonio after the war and went to work at the St. Anthony Hotel where he worked for 45 years to the day. He started as a garage elevator operator and rose to become the Resident Manager, retiring in April, 1984.

An avid sportsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing in the Texas hill country and watching all manner of sports. The quintessential "handy-man", he could fix, build or maintain anything, skills which served him well at the St. Anthony as well as for friends and family. After his first wife passed away in 1989 he met his second wife, Jean, when he built a wheelchair ramp for her house. A charmer, he was renowned for his good looks, quick, dry wit and his willingness to help anyone with anything.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mildred Helen Forsythe (married for 55 years) and step-daughter, Bonnie Booth as well as five siblings.

He is survived by his daughter, Nancy Jeannine Ray Caldwell, and son-in-law James D. Caldwell, Jr., of Farmers Branch, TX, his wife, Jean Warrick Ray, of Floresville, TX, step-daughters, Beth Nash of La Vernia and Jeannine Brownd of Houston; grandchildren, Spc. James Herschell Caldwell of Austin and Jeannine Lee Bean of La Vernia, and great grandchildren Shianne and Austin Bean, also of La Vernia.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 8, 2015 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Porter Loring on McCullough Ave.

SERVICE

MONDAY

NOVEMBER 9, 2015

11:00 A.M.

PORTER LORING CHAPEL

1101 MCCULLOUGH AVE

Interment will follow at Mission Burial Park North. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Soldiers Angels, 2700 NE Loop 410, Suite 310, San Antonio, TX, 78217 or online at www.soldiersangels.org.