LTC JOHN L. RAY To TAPS

John Linker Ray, 95 years young, passed away on Feb 24, 2019.

John accomplished many things in his life. He enrolled in the US Army Infantry at the age of 18 and fought bravely in World War II in North Africa and Italy. He met General George Patton and Winston Churchill during his time in WWII. He returned home to Arkansas in September,1945 by train. Little did he know that his homecoming would be brief – he left the following day, all arranged by his mother, to start his college education at the University of Arkansas. He completed his degree in 1949 and then re-enrolled in the Regular Army

. In 1949, while in officer training school, he met his future wife, Charlotte Middlebrooks; they were married on Christmas Day, 1949. Soon after their marriage, the Korean War began and he was off to Korea where he served as a forward observer in the 1st Cavalry Division. In this combat, he was awarded 2 Purple Hearts and a Silver Star for gallantry in action

. Upon his return to the United States, he rejoined his wife and their 1st child Mary in Arkansas. From Arkansas, they then moved to Indiana where their 2nd child Becky was born. Their next assignment was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where John attended the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce and earned his MBA. While in Pennsylvania, their 3rd child Jenny was born. In 1956, the Ray family had their 1st exposure to San Antonio, TX and spent 2 years at Fort Sam Houston where John passed the CPA exam.

The family then moved to Germany for 3 years and then back to the States in 1963 to Leavenworth, Kansas where Missy the 4th Ray girl was born. In 1967 John's superior work was recognized and he was assigned to the Pentagon as the Deputy Executive Secretary to the Director of the WSEG, Vice Admiral Masterson. This assignment earned him the Legion of Merit.

In July,1968, John retired as a Lt Col from the US Army and moved his family across the country from Annandale, VA to San Antonio, TX where they established their home. John then started his second career at Incarnate Word College, later University of Incarnate Word where he served as the Vice President of Business and Finance for nearly 30 years.

He finally stepped away from teaching in the early 2000's to care for his wife lovingly when she developed Alzheimer's Disease. In 2004, they sold their home and John moved in with Missy & Patrick and their family. During this time, he traveled extensively – to reunions of the 34th Infantry & 1st Cavalry, to Arkansas for Hanson family reunions, to Missouri to see his college buddy Bonnie and also on many family trips with the Isbell family

 At the age of 89, he went white water rafting and ziplining in Tennessee! In Dec,2013 he was honored by a 90th birthday planned by his daughters. When he was 91, he had a major fall and suffered a head injury that limited his independence but did not stop him. He required 24 hr care which was lovingly provided over the years by Cindy, Lenore, Eva, Alma, Arlene, Ana and Yvette. All of these women took excellent care of him until his death.

He is pre-deceased by his wife Charlotte and his 3 older daughters, Mary, Becky and Jenny. He is survived by his remaining daughter Melissa (Patrick, MD) Isbell, MD and his grandchildren Stephanie Bouvier, MD; Glen Lewis; Rachel Holloway (Mark O'Meara Barrera); John (Yuri) Overton and Nicholas, Cassie, Ashlen and Kayla Isbell. He is also survived by his son-in-law Clifford Rosanbalm and his great-granddaughters Corinne and Caroline Bouvier.

A Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at Porter Loring Mortuary North from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.

GRAVESIDE SERVICE
TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2019
1:30 PM
FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in John's name to The State of Texas Kidney Foundation, 4204 Gardendale #106, San Antonio, TX 78229.