Katherine Elizabeth Ray

Katherine Elizabeth Ray passed away Friday, November 16, 2012, in OKC, OK, at the age of 84. She was born in Tulsa, OK, on January 23, 1928, at St. John's Hospital to John P. and Florence (Quinlan) Kelley. She attended Holy Family Cathedral High School and graduated as Valedictorian of her class in 1947. She also attended the University of Tulsa, where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and met her future husband, Francis Eugene Ray, who was attending the TU Law School at the time. Katherine received a B.S. in Business Administration from TU in 1951. She then began her career working as an accountant for the John E. Mabee Petroleum Company in Tulsa. Later, following the birth of her ten children, she wrote a column for the Tulsa World in the early 70's. In 1972, she moved to Edmond, OK, with her family and held several jobs including working as the secretary at the parish of St. John the Baptist Church where she and her husband were members for 32 years, running her own secretarial and answering machine business, “Executive Suite 1500”, in the United Founders Tower, and working as a legal assistant for a law firm in Oklahoma City. Above everything else, Katherine’s greatest passions in life were her family, music, writing, gardening, and her faith in God. Her love, kindness, wit and humor will never be forgotten and forever missed. Katherine is survived by her husband of 62 years, Gene, and their ten children and grandchildren: Laurie, Kansas City, MO; Patrick (Sherry), Katie, Ian, and Brendan, College Station, TX; Margaret Hughes (Randy), Ariel, Uriah, Caleb, Zachariah, Brianna, and Abigail, Noble, OK; Mary Moffett (Denny), David and Jennifer, Tulsa, OK; Peter (Vicki), Monica, Edmond, OK; Kelley (Debbie), Jaison, Edmond, OK; Carol Killgore (Kelly) OKC, OK; Timothy (Dierdre), Kennett Square, PA; Sarah Niroumand (Ahmad), Isabelle and Zoya, Boise, ID; Elizabeth Brandes (Devon), Ava and Sophia, Tulsa, OK; and seven great-grandchildren. She is survived by two sisters: Ann Kenny (Richard, deceased) Tulsa, OK and Mary Kelley, Hope Hull, AL. She is predeceased by two brothers: John and Tom Kelley. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. The family expresses their deep appreciation to the wonderful caregivers at St. Ann’s Nursing Home who provided such special care to Katherine for the last 8 ½ years of her life. The Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Ann’s Retirement Center, 7501 W. Britton Rd, OK 77079. Family and friends please visit www.baggerley.com to leave condolences.