John Steven Morningsky Ray
John Steven
Morningsky Ray, 61, of Lubbock, TX, was born in Norman, OK. His
primary school years were spent in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, after which
his family moved to Lubbock, where he graduated from Monterey High in
1966. John attended Texas Tech and graduated from Texas A&M with a
degree in Business. He married Alma Boyd after graduation and they
moved to Colorado. He served in the United States Army Reserves as an
E5. An entrepreneur, John started and owned several businesses. In
1992 he retired to enter into full-time Christian service with Overseas
Christian Servicemen’s Centers (OCSC). After his wife's death he moved
to the San Luis Valley where he raised cattle and buffalo, and operated
a hunting lodge and guided buffalo hunts. In 2002, he returned to
Lubbock and began investing in real estate.
John was a member of
the Safari Club and Gideons International for more than 30 years serving
in several leadership positions. Although a successful businessman and
avid hunter who has hunted on 6 continents, his passion was to share his
faith. Whether handing out Bibles as a Gideon, or pursuing short-term
overseas missions, John has been a "missionary" wherever he was,
ever-ready to share his faith in Jesus to anyone he met.
John went home to be
with the Lord Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at his home in Lubbock after a
short battle with cancer.
Survivors include
his wife, Dona Rayne Ray who he married in August 2008; an aunt, Mary
Kinnaman of Delta, CO; a nephew, Mark Bond of Plano, TX; 3 step
children, Richard Rayne and his wife Kris of Tallahassee, FL; Celeste
Rayne Dove and Lynelle Elliott both of Berlin, MD. He had seven
step-grandchildren, Ronald and Kenneth Rayne, James Hill, Kinsey Camelio,
and Brooke, Trace and Ava Elliott. His sister, Dr. Cathy Ray, died in
2005 and his brother, Joseph Ray, died in 1995.
Memorial services
will be at 1:00 PM, Sunday, June 20, 2010 at Redeemer Church, 6402 Elgin
Ave. with Pastor Dusty Thompson and Pastor William Hamilton officiating.
In lieu of flowers the family
suggests memorials go to Gideons International, P.O. Box 64291, Lubbock,
TX 79464.
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