Mary Louise (Williams) Ray

Mary Louise Ray

November 9, 1923 ~ April 30, 2015

Louise was born on November 9, 1923 in Dyer County, TN to the late Lee and Effie (Hatfield) Williams.  She passed away peacefully in the care of the staff at Hamilton Grove Nursing Home, New Carlisle, IN.

On June 27, 1940 she married Walter N. Ray.

Louise was  preceded in death by her husband, Walter N. Ray on 2/2/1988; her parents, Lee A. and Effie B. Williams; three brothers, Leon, Percy and Glen Williams; grandson, Michael Ray and great grandson, Joseph Ray.

She is survived by her brother, James “Pete” Williams; sons, John (Pat) and James Ray; daughters, Donna Roberts and Joan Swierczynski (Jim); seven grandchildren, Andrea Bruner, James and Jason Roberts, Theresa Moravec, Khristen Pahler, Derek Stanley and Sean Ray; seventeen great grandchildren; and one great great grandson.
 

Louise worked as a mother, farm wife, factory worker at Wells Gardner, Chicago, IL, a waitress at Pixley & Ehlers and the 17 Restaurant in down-town Chicago, and she assisted her husband with his used merchandise business and rental properties.

Louise loved her family with all her heart and soul.  Her Aunt May was her role model and was everything to her.  She grew up a “tom boy” with her brothers and cousins in Green Hill Bottom, TN.  She attended Friendship High School.  She fondly reminisced about friends Frankie Lou Young and her sister Ruby Young who held their hands together “pack saddle”, and carried her off the school bus when she had a sprained ankle.  She said that the Young sisters had a brother named Robert Young.  Green Hill friends were Ida May Irwin and Bill Irwin.  She told of neighbors and acquaintances like Tom Self and Johnnie Balantine, and the Willard Lewis family at the adjoining farm on Bluebird Road, and Mr. Gilbert who operated the country grocery store.  In 1953, the family moved to Chicago for jobs, but her family and friends in Tennessee were always dear to her heart.

She loved to go the movies or get a treat at the local Dairy Queen.  Burgers and fries from Chick’s Hot Dog Stand in Chicago was always a favorite.  During the early years on the farm, she churned butter, canned foods from the garden, washed clothes in a pot over an open fire and sewed clothes from flour sacks for her children John, Donna and Joan.  Later she could buy fabric, and without a pattern, would sew coats and clothes for her daughters.  She would go about her household chores humming and singing with the voice of an angel.  She was particularly fond of the old country gospel hymns.  She was shy and quiet, and said little, but loved the company and conversation of her family and friends.  She taught her children strength, perseverance, responsibility, respect, compassion and caring.  Louise loved her family and friends, and they loved her.

Visitation for Louise will be on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 with visitation from 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM, followed by the funeral service at Friendship Funeral Home, 152 Main Street, Friendship, TN 38034.  A Christian burial will be at Sorrell’s Chapel, Dyersburg, TN. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Stroke Association or the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.  Online condolences may be left for the Ray family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.

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