Hello Ray family. We knew your parents and had many good times at Misawa AFB, Japan. I had found the obit on your father but didn't find out about your mother until the next day.
We're  very saddened about their passing and our condolences and prayers go out to your Families. They were very good friends. It's been several years since we visited them in Austin
God Bless you all,    Doug and Myrna

Hello Dee.  I know we haven't seen you since our Misawa days, but we've thought of you often and discussed our days together often, with Doug and Myrna.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to you and your family in the loss of your beloved James.  Remember all the good times you shared.

Love and prayers,
Peg and Walt Goetz
1294 Crandall Ave.
Muskegon, MI  49441

I am so sorry to learn the news of the passing of James Ray. I worked for him at J.R. Ray's Electronics in Austin in the middle to late 1980's. Such a gentle soul and a great human being.

Beverly, I am so very sorry for your loss. I am praying for your family. Take care,e

Thank you, James, doe your service to our country.

Dee, Bev, James, Caroline and Mary....My greatest memory of James was taking a very long ride to Big Bend..Those were the days of great laughter...Blessings to all during this time and always....Matty.....

MEMORIES OF JAMES ROBERT RAY

From His Sister Katherine Ray shannon

My first memories of James goes back to the time when he would have been eight or nine years old when he would help plow the fields even with his crippled leg and foot. I was very proud of James for how hard he worked especially with his crippled leg and foot.

One thing that I remember about James was his blond curly hair.  I was always jealous of him because of his hair. Mine was long and braided and I wished that I had pretty blond curly locks like his.

James was a tease. He was always teasing someone. He would especially tease me when we would milk the cows.  James would squirt milk at me and just laugh and laugh.  Sometimes we would get into a squirting war. When mother caught us we would get in big trouble. James was probably the sneakiest in that he got away with it the most. The reason James got away with it the most is because Annie Mae would protect him.

I remember going to Church riding in a wagon.  By this time we were going to New Bethel Baptist Church near Roger Springs Tennessee. I remember James like to go to church because he enjoyed visiting with people.

When I was in the fifth or sixth grade, this would have been when James was nine or ten, he attended school regularly.  After this James started missing a lot of school because of the farm work. James dropped out of school without having finished the eighth grade.

James worked part time at the cotton gen in Roger Springs. I remember that James would sometimes work late, especially during the fall cotton harvest season. 

By this time James had a girl friend, Jean Ledford. Sometimes on Saturday we would go to a movie in Middleton. We enjoyed each other's company, James, Jean Ledford, Elmo Scott and I.  We could go to Middleton, which was about seven miles away, because Elmo had a car.  

I remember one time Elmo didn't have money for gas so James and Elmo took some of Aunt Mary Scott's prize chickens and sold them for gas money. They both got into big trouble with Aunt Mary because these were her prize chickens. I don't believe they ever did that again.

Soon after this James and Elmo both tried to join the Air Force.  James was around seventeen at this time.  Elmo was turned down but James got in even with his bad foot and leg. I remember Mother had to sign papers for James to get in because of his age.

In closing to the family, I just want to say that I love you and wish that I could be with you during this time of grief.


Love, Katherine

James R. Ray
Good evening!  One of my fondest memories that I hold of our dear dad is one as a little girl sitting on his lap looking up into his beautiful blue eyes with his wavy light brown hair and feeling safe, secure, and loved, and so proud of him.  He loved watching us laugh and giggle at his warm sense of humor.  Dad was a gentle spirit who instilled the love of God's creation and for all people in the world.  He was a good man, taught us to tuck our sheets like they do in the service, feed the birds,  care for nature, our pets, and has lots of family and friends that love him.  Remember when he took us squirrel hunting and him telling me, “It's good, try it, it tastes like chicken,” and really did.  Dad loved to try new foods but his BBQ was the best in Texas.  Couple weeks ago, I thanked him for giving us the opportunity of living in Misawa, Japan, and learning about the lives of a different culture and experiencing such a far-away land.  We visited Disneyland, traveled all across this country dad cherished.  We lived on Air Bases all over - one of my favorite times was watching the Blue Angels here at Bergstrom - Race and Kim climbed in the cockpit to check out the Captain's seat.  Dad could fix anything and enjoyed helping us and our friends fixing cars or motorcycles, dad reached out and gave them a hand whenever they needed one.
Dad found a four-leafed clover while courting mom and held onto that shamrock for years.   Dad is here with us even now and lives in our hearts, he loved preaching the Good News.  He taught us to tend God's garden, work hard in caring for our family and love one another, always planning get togethers making snacks and watching football.  
Dad thought the world of his children, always wanting the best for us.  He doted over his grandchildren and taught them many important life lessons and, boy, did they love Grandpa's cooking!  
I know your bright blue eyes are shining down upon us and you're likely goin' fishing with all of our dearly departed family and friends.  I'll always love you, remember you, and keep you in my heart forever.
Mom, he is watching over you and saying, “I love you, Sugar!”  I love you all!  Dad will not be forgotten he lives on in our hearts.
Love, Caroline

James was a dear friend to all of our family.
He was very good about staying in touch with me
after my father's passing.
I'll always remember him for that.
They don't make rock solid guys like him anymore.
My sisters and I will never forget him.

Hey dad I wish you peace and pleasant fishing and maybe a little hunting in your place of rest. Love

MEMORIES OF JAMES ROBERT RAY - THE EARLY YEARS

From His Sister

Annie Mae Ray Henderson


First, to the family, you had a wonderful husband and father. James always worked hard for his family just as he did when he was growing up. I know that you will miss him very much just as I will. I wish I could have been here for his service, but circumstances just would not permit it.  I have to stay here for Margaret now. I will miss both of them very much, but I am confident that they are rejoicing together at Heaven's gate. 

This is how I remember James, James Robert Ray was born on October 23, 1929 at home in Hardeman County Tennessee on Middleton Route 2 close to the small town of Roger Springs.  This was back when you mostly used horse and wagon to get from place to place.

James was born with a club foot.  When James was about one year old our mother took him to Dr. Cobb who was the County Health Doctor.  James was the first child from Hardeman County to travel to Memphis Tennessee to be treated for this condition.  Our mother, Elsie Dixon Ray, would take him to Memphis several times each year for treatment. Sometimes our uncle, Literdale (L.D.) Dixon who had a car, would take them to Memphis for his treatments. At other times Dr. Cobb would make arrangements to get them to Memphis when uncle L.D could not take them.

For each trip to Memphis they would be gone for several days at a time.  I remember being very happy seeing mother and James returning home from these trips to Memphis. When they returned, Mother would walk from the road down to the house carrying James. 

James came back with a metal braces on his right foot and leg.  The brace was a heavy metal thing with leather straps. James had to do therapy with this heavy brace on his foot and leg. James soon learned that he could use this brace for other purposes.  If he got upset at you he would use the brace as a weapon. He would kick you on the shin if you weren't careful.

One day James got upset at me and kicked me with his brace. Daddy saw James kick me and was going to spank him. But I picked him up and cried for Daddy to not spank James. I cried “Daddy, don't spank my baby!”

 James had this braces from the time he was about two years old until it was time for James to start school.  We had to walk to a one room school house, Old Antioch, which was about a half mile away. On the way to school we crossed a creek on a makeshift foot bridge. James was afraid to cross by himself so we had to carry him across. On one occasion James, who did not like school anyway and after crossing the foot bridge, decided he was not going any further.  So, we just left him there. 

The bridge was close enough to the house for mother to hear James calling for her to come and carry him back across the bridge, but mother just left him there thinking he would eventually go on to school. Everyone else went on to school thinking the same thing.  By lunch time James was getting hungry.  From school I looked up with the rest of the kids to see James come straggling in, James' brace and all. From that time on James never baulked about going to school.

We lived on a 300 acre farm where Daddy raised all kinds of crops including corn, cotton, soybeans, hay and sorghum cane. We also had all kinds of animals including cows, chickens, hogs and work animals.  The work animals included four mules and one mare. Daddy used the work animals to work the farm and to run a sorghum mill. Daddy would set up the sorghum mill at different places where there was plenty of water and wood available. He would hook up one mule to the mill.  This mill would go round and round in a circle. People would come from all over to have their sorghum processed into sorghum molasses.  James loved to help when processing the sorghum.  His favorite task was to feed the sorghum stalks into the mill.

When James was about six or seven years we lost Daddy to T.B. James took this loss hard as did all of us.  This made work on the farm much harder for the family, but we got by. We continued to work the farm.

I remember how James and I would each take a mule (Ader and Kate) to the field to plow. At lunch time James would ride old Ader back to the house because he had been working all morning and, I am sure his foot and leg was bothering him. But, I would lead old Kate back to the house because she had been working and she was tired too.

The family attended Church at New Bethel Baptist Church near Roger Springs. We would either walk or take the wagon to church. James loved to sing in the choir. He had a wonderful voice. Today I know he is singing in Heaven.

When James was about thirteen years old he broke his arm. He was helping Uncle Literdale and some of the neighbors dehorn cows. James couldn't hold on to the cow. When the cow broke loose James fell and broke his arm.  I remember the splint that he wore which was a board wrapped in bandages. He didn't use this cast as a weapon like he did his brace when he was younger 

After I married Thomas Earl Henderson, James and Thomas Earl liked to go fishing. James was about fifteen by this time. When they would go fishing in the winter, sometimes is was so cold that they had to take quilts and lanterns to keep worm. They would place the lantern under the quilts and wrap their feet and legs to keep from freezing.  They would bring what fish they caught back in a bucket. I remember there were few fish and I don't believe there was ever one over three inches long. But they like to fish and visit with each other.

Soon after this James went into the service.  James was seventeen by this time.  James joined the Air Force where he served up until he retired after thirty years. I was very proud of James during this time because, when James went into the Air Force he only had an eighth grade education, but while he was in the service he finished his High School education. He also learned a trade which he put into practice after retiring.

While James was in the service he would come back home to Tennessee to visit every chance that he had. We were always glad to see him and by this time his growing family.

Two years ago I had a chance to visit James in his home here in Austin. By this time he was quite ill.  It made me so proud when James asks me to make him biscuits just like I did when we were growing up and would come in from the fields after a hard day's work. I know James enjoyed those biscuits, but not as much as I did watching him eat them.  This sure brought back many fond memories



I love all of you very much,
Annie Mae

We are so sorry to hear of your loss...our thoughts are with you.

Mrs. Ray, Beverly, James, Caroline and Mary, I'm so sorry to hear about the passing of Mr. Ray. I'll remember him fondly, helping James and me work on our cars, watching TV together, and great conversations.

My prayers and sympathies are with you and your family Bev.

We are so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers to the entire Ray family. Love, George & Teresa (Smith) Chappell

I will always remember my Grandfather as a person with an unbreakable spirit, an overwhelming sense of devotion to his country, and most of all, an inifinite amount of unconditional love for his family and friends.  I will miss him more than he could ever know.  I love you Grandpa.

Beverly,
My thoughts and sympathies are with you and your family in the loss of your Dad. I know you will cherish your memories of him.

To Bev and Family,
My deepest sympathy for the loss of your Dad.
Love, 
Leslie

Caroline and James,  Based on knowing the two of you, I can only believe that your father was a very good father.  I know that he will be missed deeply.  I'm holding you and your family in my prayers.  Cecilia Wood

I am so sorry for the loss your family has experienced.  I know you will all miss him.  You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Thank you Dad for showing me what it is to be a good father, husband, and  Man.  Although I fall short in meeting your example, you have set an example I will try to live up to for all my life. Your image as a strong solid caring man will never leave me and inspires me to be a better person every day. Thank you Dad. I love you.

To Aunt Dee and the rest of the Ray family,  We were so sorry to hear of the passing of Uncle James. Dan had such a love and high regard for him.  He enjoyed his conversations with Uncle James and felt he was a very intellegent man.  Dan will certainly miss him.  We know he is now not suffering and is in his true home with Our Father.  Uncle James and Margaret will be ushered in to thier home by all that they loved and had lost.  No more pain or sorrow will they suffer.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you in this time of our earthly sorrow.  God Bless you.  With Our Love,  Dan and Beth Shannon

Mary and Family,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this most difficult time.  Remember that your Dad will be inside your heart and with you always.  You will keep him alive with each of your special memories of time spent with him.

Much Love to All,

Beverly, 
Holding you and your family close to my heart. I'm so sorry for your loss. 
Kelley

Beverly,
Holding you close to my heart during this difficult time. 
Kelley

I am so sorry to hear about Uncle James,  I Love your dad and mom and you all very much.  You all are in out thoughts and prayers.  I know heaven is a more wonderful place with him and Margaret there.  Will miss them both very much here.  But look forward to the day when we will be with them forever and ever.  Love Doug & Emma Henderson

To Aunt Dee and the entire Ray family:  Our hearts, thoughts & prayers are with you all. Your Dad will be with each and every one of you always...every single day.  "We may grieve over the death of a loved one, but to God, it is home coming time."  God Bless you all, Cousin Lori (Martinez), Bill, Alyssa & Shelby

I was so glad to see all of you when we were in San Antonio/Austin these past years.....I saw the love you have for each other.....may you all find comfort and peace in prayer and in love of family and friends....
Love to you all

My deepest sympathies to the Ray family. Know that God has your family wrapped tightly in His circle of light and love always.

God carry our father home in the hollow of your hand to the place you have prepared for him.  I love you, Dad!  You will live on in the hearts of those who loved you!

OBITUARY

James Ray

October 23, 1929 – October 23, 2011

Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home & Cemetery

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