Jennifer Joo Ray

Jennifer Joo Phillips Ray, daughter of Joshua D. Phillips and O. Virginia Phillips, founders of the Give Us This Day Counseling & Community Service, formerly based in Newberg and Portland, Oregon and the Women of Purpose, Int’l, died on Sunday, March 13th, 2011, in North Las Vegas, Nevada, where she, her husband and their two children resided. She was 35 years old.

Jennifer was born in Seoul, Korea on July 10, 1975, and adopted by the Phillips’ in 1980 at age 4 ½ years. She attended elementary and middle schools in Newberg. She moved to Portland and attended Grant High School and taught Sunday school at Piedmont Friends Church. She was active in the Give Us This Day ministries in Portland, where she helped with high-risk youth.

She moved to San Antonio, Texas, to live with her sister, Cathy Parker, where she met and married Sgt. Charles Ray in 1993. She was a licensed certified Pharmacy Technician. Jennifer’s joy was serving her family, extended family and friends. She was called “the gift” by everyone who met her because of her love and the amazing care she gave to anyone who needed her help.

Survivors include her husband, Charles; two sons by his previous marriage, David and Edward; their two children, Michael and Jasmine; her mother, O. Virginia Phillips; sisters Cathy Y. Parker, Gresham, Oregon; Linda Mitchell, Atlanta, Georgia; S. Renee Mitchell, Portland, Oregon; Kimberly Phillips-Lawson, Orlando, Florida; Veda Brown-Phillips, Columbus, Georgia; brothers Gregory Mitchell-Phillips, Kuwait; Rondahl Mitchell-Phillips, Vancouver, Washington; Brian Mitchell-Phillips, Portland, Oregon; Kenneth Mitchell-Phillips, Portland, Oregon; a host of nieces and nephews and extended family. She was preceded in death by her father, the Rev. Joshua Phillips, his daughter and son-in-law, Rev. John and Yvonne Garlington and son, Emery Vereen.

The homegoing celebration service will be held at Life Change Christian Center, 3635 N. Williams Avenue, Portland, Oregon at 10 a.m. Monday, March 21, 2011. Interment immediately following at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 SE Mt. Scott Boulevard, Portland, OR. If you wish to contribute toward Jennifer’s funeral expenses, send your donation payable to Women of Purpose, Int’l, in memory of Jennifer Ray.

Arrangements under the direction of Caldwell's, Hennessey, Goetsch & McGee Funeral Home, Portland, OR.