Ray died December 3,1989. His parents were missionaries and he was born in 1914, in Madras, India. The family returned to the states in 1927 and settled in Eureka, California, on the north coast of the state. Ray graduated from Eureka H.S., attended Humboldt State University, and finished up at the University of California Berkeley with his bachelor's degree in 1936.

Ray was member of the Civilian Public Service smokejumpers
during all three seasons of the program. He jumped at Cave Junction 1943-44 and Missoula in 1945.

Returning to northern California in 1946, he got his contractor's license and followed it with a license in architectural building design. The family moved to Redwoods Valley, CA, in 1953. Ray became very involved in community affairs: School Board President, Mendocino County Board Supervisors, and others.

Being the parent of a child with Down's Syndrome, Ray took the lead in founding organizations and volunteering in work with the Developmentally Disabled.