Ray was offered several college football scholarships and chose to attend Arizona State University where he received his Bachelors Degree in Education and earned MVP honors in football his senior year under coach Frank Kush.

He was then drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 1967 NFL Draft and briefly played for the Pittsburgh Steelers before returning to ASU where he coached football for a brief time.

In 1968, be began his career working at the Downtown Phoenix YMCA. He then transferred to the Woodbury YMCA in 1971 and took the position of Physical Education Director. Rays career then changed to sales of construction equipment in 1978, and he retired from Norton Company as Sales Manager where he earned the Salesman of the Year Award several times.

He is survived by is wife of 55 years, Peggy J. (Hansen), two sons and two daughters-in-law, four grandchildren and several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Services were held on February 4, 2022 at the Presbyterian Church at Woodbury, 67 S. Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Gloucester County Humane Society, 1200 Delsea Drive, Clayton, NJ 08312 or the West Deptford Police K-9 Unit, c/o Mike Franks,400 Crown Point Road. West Deptford. NJ 08096. Memories mav he shared at www.buddfuneralhome.com