Rolor Edward Ray

ROLOR EDWARD RAY, died April 19, 2015, in Sugar Land, Texas. A Service of Praise and Thanksgiving in honor of his life will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, April 25, 2015, at Christ United Methodist Church, 3300 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land, Texas 77479.

Mr. Ray was born on September 13, 1927, in Taft, Texas, to Ulus and Lora Cleveland Ray.

Mr. Ray graduated from Sodville High School at age 16, and was the top ranked 16 year old tennis player in America. He graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts the following year. He then attended and graduated from Yale University with a B.A. degree. He received his M.A degree from Texas A & I University.

While at Yale he was the number one player on the Yale Tennis Team for four years, captain of the team in his senior year, and an elected member of the Yale Athletic Council. His name was placed on a continually displayed Yale trophy honoring those who “greatly contributed to their sport by performance and sportsmanship.” Yale’s tennis team was outstanding each of his four yrs. Two of the four years Yale’s team was undefeated.

Mr. Ray honorably served in the Signal Corps of the U.S. 8th Army in Korea during the Korean War. In 1954, a year after being honorably discharged from service, he married Alice Martha Hallauer. They were married 61 years.

Mr. Ray taught in Taft Junior High School and in the Corpus Christi Public Schools before becoming a principal in the Corpus System for 32 years. For the last 21 of those years he was a duel principal—principal of Calk Elementary School and a principal of the Regional School for the Deaf. He retired in 1993.

During Mr. Ray’s years as an educator he taught numerous courses at Del Mar College and at the University of Corpus Christi. He co-authored an American History textbook. Mr. Ray was an early pioneer of Learning Centers in the elementary school. While he was principal, Calk School was designated by the State of Texas as an Exemplary School and awarded a monetary grant. He served as president of the Corpus Christi School Administrators Association. Mr. Ray was honored on different occasions by the Boy Scouts, the Cub Scouts, the Girl Scouts, and the Blue Birds for his extraordinary support. At the mid-point of one school year, parents organized a special appreciation banquet in his honor. The Corpus Christi P.T.A. honored him as the 1992-93 Administrator Educator of the Year.

Throughout his career Mr. Ray maintained an active role in farming. The Ray Farms are located in San Patricio County.

Mr. Ray was an active member of First United Methodist Church Corpus Christi. He served as President of the Methodist Men, was a member of the Committee on Child Abuse, was a member of the Administrative Board, the Hospitality Committee, taught Sunday School classes, and was a member and President of the Jennie Hill Cooper Sunday School Class.

Mr. Ray and his wife Alice moved to Sugar Land, Texas in June 2003 to be near their children and grandchildren. They were active members of Christ United Methodist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Ray served as greeters at the Church. They also worked as volunteers of the East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry.

Survivors include his wife, Alice Hallauer Ray; two children, Wren Edward Ray and Robin Ray Jordan; two grandchildren, B.J. Jordan and Brittany Ray Jordan; and all those who knew and loved him.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rolor’s memory may be made to Christ United Methodist Church in Sugar Land, or to First United Methodist Church in Corpus Christi.