Ray Family Reunion – 1955

My grandparents on my father’s side were George and Martha Ray. George Washington Ray was born on December 23, 1872, and Martha Jane Harper was born on January 6, 1885. They were married on September 24, 1905, and both were born near Birmingham, Alabama. They moved to Louisiana before any of their six children were born.

Their two oldest sons were born in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana. Robert Herman was born on September 5, 1906, and William Gilbert on November 2, 1908. They moved to Spiro, Oklahoma, where their first daughter, Annie Lee, was born on January 17, 1911. A few weeks later, they moved to Houston County, Texas, where their third son, Alton Andrew, was born on October 20, 1912. From there, they moved to Mustang Prairie, Texas, where they finally settled. Their second daughter, Iva Florene, was born on October 25, 1916. Their last child, George Harper, was born on June 20, 1920.

The picture was taken in September 1955, when they were celebrating George and Martha’s 50^th Anniversary. The picture was at Aunt Florene and Leland Higgins’ house in Waco, Texas. Standing, from left to right, are Annie, Grandpa George, Grandma Martha, and Florene. Kneeling are Herman, George Harper, and Gilbert. Not pictured was Alton, who was not there. Aunt Florene’s two-bedroom house was full of adults and grandchildren sleeping on made-down beds with Herman and George Harper sleeping on the porch. For a September night in Waco, the porch was the coolest spot. There was a lot of tasty food and many stories shared.

Grandpa had a heart attack and died at home on November 20, 1957, just shy of the age of eighty-five. Grandma had a heart attack and died on April 18, 1970, at the age of eighty-five. Alton died of a heart attack on March 20, 1961, at forty-eight. Florene died of a heart attack on February 13, 1971, at fifty-four. Gilbert died from lung cancer on July 27, 1978, just shy of seventy. Annie died from breast cancer on March 9, 1979, at sixty-eight. Herman died June 26, 1993, just shy of eighty-seven. George Harper died from a stroke on March 18, 1999, shy of seventy-nine.

Grandpa Ray died when I was fourteen, so I have just a handful of memories with him and Grandma Ray together. I was about seven when they moved to Bremond into the apartment. I just remember the farm where they lived before was up the hill from the Mustang Cemetery. I have many more memories of times shared with my aunts, uncles, and cousins.