Mark Randall Ray

Mark Randall Ray, 72 years old, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

Mark was born in Detroit, Mich. on March 11, 1950, to James Vance Ray and Margie Ellen Whaley. Mark is survived by his loving wife, Linda Louise Ray; his devoted son, Joshua James Ray; his sister, Jamie Sue Gibson and Carl Gibson of Marshall, Mich.; his brother David Keith Ray and Jackie Ray of Dallas, Texas; and nieces and nephew Heather Brinker Grogg of Battle Creek, Mich. and Katie and Matthew Ray of Dallas, Texas.

Mark attended Michigan State University receiving a B.S., Mechanical Engineering from 1968 to 1972 and an M.S., Mechanical Engineering from 1972 to 1974; University of Rochester for Japanese Language and Culture from 1990 to 1991; and University of Phoenix receiving an M.S., Information Technology from 2005 to 2008.

Mark enjoyed working for several employers during his 42 year career. He loved the adventure and challenges presented by each company and new location and loved his time spent in New York, California, Maine, and Texas. The true highlight of his working life was living in England twice, from 1979 to 1980 in London and from 1999 to 2000 in Windsor. Mark loved to travel and study other cultures, customs, and food, and his job took him to many countries including Japan, Korea, Russia, Brazil, Ireland, France, and the Netherlands.

Mark was a gentle and honorable man, a loving and devoted husband and father, who loved life and enjoyed all the opportunities and pleasures which came his way. He loved tending to his garden, woodworking, puzzles, listening to Jazz and Blues music, and loved to read for pleasure and to gain knowledge. He loved baking bread and pizza, brewing beer, and cooking Indian food for his family. He had a special friendship and love for his old MSU friends the “Mudsharks”.

Mark was a devoted husband to his childhood sweetheart, Linda, having their first date at 16 years old and married November 22, 1972. His proudest moment was when his son, Josh, was born. They shared many common interests throughout the years.

“If there ever comes a day

When we can’t be together

Keep me in your heart

I’ll stay there forever”

~A.A. Milne~

P.S. Mark was concerned about the chestnut blight and the survival of the American Chestnut Tree, planting several at his home in the last several years. If you wish to, please plant a tree of your own or donate to the American Chestnut Foundation.

 Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.



 



INTERMISSION

There’s a country church I like to visit.

It rests in a farmer’s field and

while the front door is solid,

uneven hinges keep it slightly open–

welcoming.

Slipping inside

I sit quietly, listening,

hearing my breathing and

the crack of a pew announcing its age.

The statues mind their own business.

Aware of unquiet thoughts and

the desire to let them go,

I watch the sun shining through stained glass,

illuminating dust motes and fingerprints

of other travellers.

Silence lives here,

It wraps around me like a coat,

buttoning out the noise of the day,

offering the warmth of

solace and reflection and

reminding me of how

gracefully my brother had lived,

and how, with a final breath,

he opened the door to

the Other Side–

and simply stepped through.

~

Pricilla Dunning

2022

 

 



Eulogy by Ed Hargis

Mark Ray - June 1. 2022

Mark and I were born in March 1950. We grew up in Roseville, which was a working class suburb of Detroit and met when we were about 14. We were friends all through high school. I liked him because he was smarter than anyone I knew, had a great sense of humor, and (for some reason) wanted to hang out with me. I remember he was a reader and got me reading more than ever which became a lifelong habit. Mark was generous with his time and not quick to put other people down.

He and I came of age during the ascendance of the hippy culture, the protests against the VietNam War, and the movement to move back to the land. The era shaped us.

Mark and I went to MSU for out undergraduate degree from 1968 to 1972.

We were roommates for two of those years and hung out with the same crowd. A lot was changing during those years at MSU and across the country. In our freshman year women living in dorms had a curfew. In our dorm our rooms were open for female visitors on Sunday. But the door must be left open and our RA told us, "Remember four feet on the floor at all times." Things changed a lot by 1972.

Mark was a hard worker. I remember his dad got him a job at Uniroyal Tire in Detroit where he did the hardest, hottest, dirtiest job all summer. He loaded and unloaded a tire press. But he made enough in the summers to pay for his college.

Mark was organized, meticulous, as he studied engineering. He was always smarter and more level headed than I was. He dated Linda in high school and all through college until they married in 1972. I got to spend a lot of time with her. She was sweet, fun, and I believe to this day that they had a close relationship that was envied by us all. I'm proud they asked me to stand up at their wedding.

In high school and college Mark and I often traveled up to Traverse City to enjoy the lakes, woods, snow, and our party oriented friends. I remember us tooling up on a winter day with snow on the road and big snow banks. | took a turn at Mesick to fast spun out and put the Volkswagen in a snowbank.. We jumped out, got in the bank and pushed it out to continue our trip while the guys inside the gas station gasped.

Our senior year of college we rented an apartment in an old fourplex. It was in Lansing in a sketchy neighborhood. But it was big and cheap. I bought a 1962 Ford Fairlane off a used car lot. We walked in and asked, What's your cheapest car?" He said, "Well I just got in that Fairlane. The fender is smashed in and I don't want to clean the pepsi bottles, trash, and diapers out of the back seat." He sold it to us for $60. It got us to school and back. for a year. We named it The Mudmobile.

We hung out with a loose knit group of guys who were mostly engineer students Including Galen Rutka, Mike Koryto, and John Moynes. We played intramural softball and called our team "The Mudsharks". (look up Frank Zappa).

Mark loved music. He always had the best stereo system he could afford and lots of albums. In that last year when we lived together Linda often came to visit mark. When was a good influence on our domestic habits and always a joy to be around.

Mark was always welcoming and generous to me. He also had the best memory of anyone I knew. I would tell a sketchy outline of how we ended up in Lake St. Clair in our tuxedos the morning after our prom. Mark would then correct me and tell me who said what and why we did that.

Photographic?

After grad school Mark started his string of engineering jobs. They moved to Rochester so he could work for Kodak. That company we huge when we all used film. They sent him to London to work for their division there.

Mark and Linda loved Great Britain. They invited me to visit and I did in 1979. They put me up and helped me get around London. Then we took a little trip to the Lake District and Scotland. I loved it. They were so generous.

As time went on and we pursued our careers Mark moved all over. I stayed in Traverse City. We exchanged Christmas cards and kept up with each other. Even though we were not physically together I knew he was a friend who I could always count on. He was loyal, honest, and a man of great integrity. When we would chat it was like we were together again in college. In the last few years we bonded over our hobbies of woodworking and gardening. He always sent me the most beautiful photos of his fruit trees blooming.

After I retired I visited them in Lynchburg in 2016. In 2017 Mark and Linda came up to visit us. Lots of good times.

I will always remember Mark as a true friend, a wonderful husband to Linda, and a loving father to Josh. I will miss you Mark.

 

 

     

Happy 50th Anniversary

Mark Ray

Thank you for

all the Love

I saw in your eyes

every time

our eyes met



Now every day

I shut my eyes

and think of how

you used to

sing softly

into my ear

“There’ll never be

anyone else

but you for me

never ever be 

Just couldn’t be

anyone else

But You”

You were everything to me…

a great husband and father

Thank you for the

wonderful life

we lived together.