Ray Family Memories

This is the last picture I have of all six of us together. It was Christmas 1968, and we all were at Mom and Dad’s house for the family Christmas. We exchanged presents and shared the Christmas dinner that Mom had cooked for us. As we got older and our families grew, it became more difficult for all of us to be together all at one time.

When this picture was taken, all four of us kids were married; Maurice and Charlotte had Kim and Pam, Joyce and Ted had Karen and Greg, Jo Ann and Lynn had Robert, and Eva and I had Tammy. Eva and I would have Jennifer later and Jo Ann and Lynn would have Jeff later.

We lost Dad in 1978 to lung cancer and that began to change the family in a big way. Mom was only 17 when she married Dad and they had been married almost 44 years when he left us. Mom had a very tough time with him gone, losing her compass, and feeling lonely. I was concerned that we would lose her in the following months due to her grief. She made it through that period with support from family, friends, and people at church. She lived another 25 years, traveling with groups to many places including Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, and several places within the 48 states.

We lost Ted in 1987 suddenly and that was a shock to the entire family, and it changed Joyce’s family forever. They had been married since they were 19 and had known each other during their high school years. She had lost her soulmate and friend. Karen and Greg had lost their Dad and best friend. He had been involved with their school activities and their friends.

Just after Christmas 2003, we lost Mom after health issues in the later months. She always valued her freedom to go and do things when she wanted without depending on others. For many years, she continued to mow her yard, wash her car, and just try new things like bowling, square dancing, painting, and even playing the piano. She was the magnet to pull family members together for things like Christmas.

In 2009, we lost Charlotte and Maurice to cancer making that a year full of grief, especially for Kim and Pam and their families. I lost my big brother and Charlotte, a very good friend. I am thankful for the time that Eva and I shared with them during their last few years.

In 2014, we lost Joyce and again our family grieved with Karen and Greg and their families. Joyce was my older sister and we had shared times at school including me double dating with Joyce and Ted many times when I was younger. They were great friends. Ted and I had worked together at three different places over the years, and we had played baseball in a league one summer. He was a good pitcher and I liked baseball.

In April 2022, I lost Eva to a horrible illness and the best friend I ever had. We had shared over 58 years of marriage and I had known her for more than 69 years. My family is still dealing with our grief in our own ways.

In addition to the two Grandchildren that were added to the Ray Family after this picture, many Great-grandchildren and some Great-great-grandchildren have been added. I hope many of the larger family can get together at least one more time while Jo Ann and I can be a part of that gathering. It would be nice to share the memories of the family from bygone years with the younger generations.