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© Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home
Submitted by: T.D.
Funeral services for Donald Wayne Ray who passed away on Thursday, April 14, 2011 at the age of 72 years 5 months 2 days will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, April 18, 2011 at Holmes~Coffey~Murray Funeral Home. Reverend Ron Eaves of Ardmore, Oklahoma and Reverend Terry D. Ray of Ardmore, Oklahoma will officiate. Serving as pallbearers will be Anthony Lotspeich, Darrell Lotspeich Jr., Randy Mead, Cody Hatcher, Clint Hatcher and Rick Hatcher. Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery, Durant, Oklahoma.
Donald was born on Saturday, November 12, 1938 at Lick Creek, Arkansas to John N. and Velma Glover-Ray. His mother passed away when he was 3 years old. A year later his father married Lucille Rogers. Around the age of 5 he had a near death experience after accidentally drinking coal oil while playing cowboy and Indians. At the age of 12 the family moved to West Texas and became migrant workers. They traveled to California in a converted school bus picking fruit and ended up in Hale Center, Texas picking cotton. There they bought and operated a restaurant. He quit school when he was 15 to help support the family. In 1956 he joined the U.S. Navy and after discharge he moved to Brownfield, Texas where he met and married Jeraline Salmon and had 3 children. In 1960 while working on a drilling rig he got his leg crushed. They moved to Ardmore in 1962 and he managed a pest control crew. He loved cars and raced a 1955 Chevy named the “Pied Piper” at the Ardmore Race track and for two years never lost a race. He was divorced and later met and married Wanda S. Lotspeich on December 4, 1969 at Ft. Worth, Texas. They moved to California to manage a business for his brother and then moved to Lubbock, Texas where he worked as a machinist. Wanting to be closer to his family, they moved to Wichita Falls, Texas where he worked as a machinist and later opened an auto repair business and closed that business after an offer to be the “Wrench” on a drag pickup. They traveled to several states making it the world's fastest pickup truck. It won several awards and was in the World of Wheels car show and won 1st place. He retired from Midwestern State University on September 1, 2004. Donald loved making and designing things and was a perfectionist at anything he did. He loved music and before he retired he started a music library. He loved his wife and children. He was liked by everyone and never met a stranger.
Donald was preceded in death by his parents, John and Velma Ray; stepmother, Lucille Beckner; sister, Mamie Maxine Dixon of Lubbock, Texas; brother, David G. Ray of Palmdale, California. Survivors include his wife, Wanda S. Ray of Wichita Falls, Texas; daughter, Sherry Lynn Thomas of Ardmore, Oklahoma; sons, Terry Don and wife Rose of Ardmore, Oklahoma and Kerry Bruce of Lancaster, California; 9 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, 4 nieces, and 2 nephews.
Family and friends may send online condolences and view tributes at www.coffeymurray.com.
Services are under the direction of Holmes~Coffey~Murray Funeral Home, Durant, Oklahoma.
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