Services for Betty Lou Melancon Ray, 91, of Lufkin are scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, 2020 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Jimmy Hedges and the Reverend Max Reynolds officiating. Interment will follow in Ryan Chapel Cemetery in Diboll. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Betty was born on January 10, 1929 in Dierks, Arkansas to Edmond Daniel Melancon, Sr. and Lillian Cortez Sutton. She passed away peacefully on Friday, May 15, 2020 in Lufkin, Texas. Betty married Jessie James Ray, Jr. in 1946, and they were married 59 years before his death in 2005.
Betty was a very loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and was known affectionately as “MamMaw.” She was a devout Christian and was a loyal member of Calvary Baptist Church for over 65 years. She retired from Woodland Heights Hospital after 27 years of service as a nurse in labor and delivery. At her retirement party, it was estimated she had cared for more than 13,000 new moms and babies. Betty was an excellent cook and loved preparing special meals for her family. Some of her specialties were red velvet cake, blackberry cobbler, and cheesecake. Her grandchildren especially enjoyed her chicken and dumplings.
She is survived by her three sons and their wives: Garry and Barbara Ray, Ricky and Glenda Ray, and Billy and Alys Ray, all of Lufkin. In addition, she is survived by seven grandchildren: Rhonna Lymbery, Rachelle Wigginton, Kelly Ferrara and husband Brannon, Jennifer Robertson and husband Andy, Scotty Ray, Reagan Ray and wife Jill, and Ryan Ray and wife Cleo. She is also survived by 13 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Jessie; 2 brothers and 1 sister.
The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Pinnacle Senior Living for their kind and compassionate care. Memorials may be made to LifePoint Church (formerly Calvary Baptist Church), 4737 Ted Trout Drive, Lufkin, Texas, 75904 or Ryan Chapel Cemetery Association, P. O. Box 423, Diboll, TX 75941.
Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home.
Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com
