Clarence Edwin Ray

Friday September 24, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at The First Presbyterian Church in Vandalia, Mo.
Officiating will be: Rev. Ken Jarvis and Rev. Randall Cone.
Music provided by: Ruth Calcaterra - organist and soloist; Mike Ray - pianist.
Interment will be in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
Pallbearers: Paul Ray, Mike Ray, James Ray, Ken Ray, Richard Chapin and Joseph Ray. Honorary Pallbearers: Florenze Ackmann, Bob Jerman, Paul Galloway, Bill Ehrlich, Alan Adam and Gene Wallace.

Clarence Edwin Ray passed away at 6:25 a.m. on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at the Missouri Veterans Home in Mexico, Missouri. Mr. Ray graduated from Wellsville High School in 1945. He received a BS in agriculture in 1950 and a Master of Education in 1962, both from the University of Missouri in Columbia. He taught vocational agriculture, young farmer classes and other subjects in the Vandalia, Macon and Laddonia Community R-6 Schools for 27 years. He was a farm program chairman of the Vandalia Business and Professional Men's Club. After his teaching career, he was a part-time teacher at the Women's Eastern Reception Diagnostic and Correctional Center of Vandalia. Clarence served in the U.S. Army in WWII, serving with the 86th infantry division on Luzon in the Philippines and was discharged as a staff sergeant. He had a great love for farming and he and his family received many awards for their registered Spotted hogs, cattle and Suffolk sheep. In 1992 he was awarded second place for Missouri in the National Corn Yield contest. In 1994 he was named Show-me-purebred lamb producer. Clarence was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Vandalia at the time of his death and served as deacon and elder of that church and Mt. Olivet Presbyterian Church during the time he lived in the country. He was past secretary of the Mt. Olivet Cemetery Association.

Born: November 2, 1927 in rural Benton City, Missouri the son of Robert Walker and Frances Margaret "Fannie" (Snook) Ray.

Married: Doris Elaine Lampe on July 3, 1948 at the Mexico Methodist Church; she survives at the home.

Survivors include: wife, Doris Elaine Ray; four children: Pat L. and husband Tom Marshall of Vandalia; Mike L. and Debbie Ray of Vandalia; Jim R. and wife Monique Ray of Vandalia and Paul C. and wife Michelle Ray of Wildwood, Mo. He has nine grandchildren: Richard Chapin and wife Jodi of Los Angeles, California; Rachel Ray of Farmington, Mo; Ashley Ray of St. Louis, Mo; Joe Ray of Oceanside, California; John, Michael and Alison Ray of Wildwood, Mo; Joanne Ray of Springfield, Mo; and James Ray of Buffalo, Mo. Also a sister, Alice Hinson of Columbia, Mo; a half brother, Kenneth Ray and wife Regina of St. Louis, Mo; one brother in law, Florenze Ackmann of Florrissant, Mo and one sister in law, Teddy Ray of Hallsville, Mo.

Preceded in death by: two sisters: Helen Ray and Betty Ackmann; one brother, Bill Ray and one daughter who died at birth.

Memorials are encouraged to the First Presyterian Church, PO Box 240, Vandalia, MO 63382-0240 or Mt. Olivet Cemetery Association, 41608 Hwy K, Vandalia, MO 63382.