Joanne Ray

Joanne loved Jesus with her whole heart and soul. She was a champion for the Lord - a woman who spoke His name freely, who credited the Good Lord for every blessing she ever received, big or small, and who shared His love with anyone who would listen. She believed in doing the right thing, every time. She stood fiercely for what she believed in, and she never backed down from a challenge. Her faith was not something she merely carried with her; it was the solid, unshakable ground she stood on.

Joanne was, without question, a woman of incredible presence. She was a natural born leader. A burst of happiness, joy, and contagious laughter who brightened a room before she ever even said a word. She was the kind of woman who wore sunglasses indoors to put the final, stylish exclamation point on her presence. Her sense of style was immeasurable - always perfectly accessorized, always a step ahead, setting trends rather than following them. She was afraid of heights, and very little else; she could teach you how to shoot a gun, and if you crossed her she would give you that signature look of hers and ask if you wanted to take a trip to "fist city."

She had an incredible, all-in energy - she was always the first to smile and the first to offer a helping hand - with a heart that was truly bigger than life. She loved music that had a story to tell, from the raw emotion of the blues to the anthems of 90s country and the timeless faith of a gospel hymn. She loved watching late night Gunsmoke, the Atlanta Braves, and professional boxing. She was outstanding at spelling and a formidable hand at five-card draw poker. And she loved to go fishing. She knew precisely how to savor a sweet moment - especially if it involved a bowl of Blue Bell Buttered Pecan ice cream.

Of all the wonderful things Joanne loved and experienced in this life, nothing in this world rivaled her love for children. She never met a baby she didn't instinctively reach for. It didn’t matter who’s it was - over every stroller, every car seat, every carrier - she was going to lean in to make sure that child knew they were loved. There was simply no stopping this joyful and unyielding mission - we often tried, and we always failed. And of all the babies she ever blessed with her presence, none were loved as completely as "HER babies," her great-granddaughters, Adalyn and Ava.

Adalyn and Ava were - without question - the absolute greatest loves of her life. She loved them with every single fiber of her being. Between the endless games of hide-and-seek, quiet hours sharing the front porch rocking chairs, and her kitchen messy with cooking and baking, through silly makeovers, movie nights, and every beautiful holiday in between, she poured everything she was into everything they were.

Joanne was born in Marion, Alabama, to Bruce and Nannie LaGrone, she was the tenth of twelve children, growing up in a full to the brim, bustling house where she learned early on how to stand her ground and love fiercely.

She married Herschel Ray in 1961, beginning a beautiful fifty-seven-year partnership. They built their life side-by-side, sharing a workplace at Lockheed Martin, a home filled with laughter, and a deep, enduring adoration for each other. Herschel had a favorite saying about their marriage: “She couldn’t do any worse, and I couldn’t do any better,” and every now and then he would push his luck by adding, “Or was it the other way around?!” - a punchline Joanne reliably answered with a prompt pop to the back of his head.

She is survived by a family who will carry the strength of her love and the warmth of her memory for the rest of our days on this earth: her younger sisters, Judy Remsen, and Jessie Hasty; her grandchildren, Kristopher Strizzi (Tiffany) and Tyler Strizzi, whom she loved entirely as her own; along with her immeasurably loved great-grandchildren, Adalyn and Ava Strizzi.

Just as she lived - with elegant, no-nonsense grace, Joanne asked for an easy, simple service with absolutely no drama or carrying on. “I won’t be there, I’ll be with the Lord,” she would remind us. Honoring her exact wishes, her closest family has held a private graveside service - sharing our favorite, unfiltered memories just among ourselves and dedicating all the honor of her beautiful life to Jesus.