Judith Mae Ray

wife, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away in Olathe, Kansas at the age of 87.

Judy was born on August 31, 1938 in Paola, Kansas to Leonard and Juanita Dennerline. She

graduated from Paola High School in 1956. While in high school she excelled as a

cheerleader and lifeguard. After graduation she married Pliny (Carl) Ray, her high school

sweetheart and became a homemaker. She and Carl made a career in the U.S. Air Force,

stationed initially in Caribou, Maine and then later in Los Angeles, California and Denver,

Colorado. After they left the Air Force, Carl became employed with IBM, requiring more

moves, from Poughkeepsie, NY to Boulder, Colorado to Tucson, Arizona and finally ending

up in Munich, Germany. Her children were born in three different cities: Jett in Paola, Gary

in Los Angeles, and Janet in Poughkeepsie. Judy and Carl divorced in Munich and Judy

moved back to Colorado, where she worked in a high school cafeteria, as a nanny, and had

other odd jobs before retiring. She was close to both of her brothers, Edward and James.

Judy was a family-first kind of person. She had a love for cooking and hosted many dinners

to celebrate birthdays and holidays. She was a founding member of the Buffalo Belles for

the University of Colorado football team and remained a fan the entire rest of her life. She

loved watching sports on TV. She was a golfer, learning at an early age, and she loved to

sew, even making her daughter’s wedding dress!

Judy had many other interests, including gardening, family get-togethers, reading, travel,

camping, wildlife viewing, bowling, and nature walks.

She was preceded in death by her ex-husband, Carl (1999). She is survived by her two

brothers Ed of Paola and Jim of California; three children and (spouses): Jett & (Ruth) Ray

of Daytona Beach, Gary & (Cathy) Ray of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and Janet & (Stan)

Toal also of Highlands Ranch; six grandchildren: Keane, Michael, Kacia, Christopher, Kyla,

and Emily; and finally, ten great-grandchildren: Charlie, Colten, Lily, Everly, Oakley, Ivy, Liv,

Cohen, Ellie, and Grace. Services are at a later date. The family asks in lieu of flowers that

donations be made in her name to:

www.stroke.org www.americanstroke.org www.diabetesfoundationinc.org

https://professional.diabetes.org