CHARLES M. RAY Jr.

CHARLES M. RAY JR., 82, died Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, in Plymouth, Ind. Born in Cranford, N.J., he graduated from Cranford High School in 1955 and from Indiana University with a BA Degree in 1959. He earned an M.Ed. Degree from Springfield College in Springfield, Mass. in 1969 as well as doing post graduate work at several other colleges. Following his marriage to Sue Ann Tanksley of Brook, Ind. on June 14, 1959, he joined the Citizen & Chronicle in Cranford as a sports reporter, circulation manager, and advertising manager. He was named Associate Publisher in 1965 and remained until 1967. While in Cranford, he was active in local civic organizations including the Rotary Club, the Jaycees (secretary), the Chamber of Commerce (director), the Joint Committee for Encouraging Candidates for the Board of Education, the Cranford Boosters' Club (vice-president), the Cranford Boys' Baseball Leagues (secretary), and the Cranford Recreation Department (vice-chairman). In addition, he was a member of the New Jersey chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, the professional journalism society, the New Jersey Press Association, and the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials' Association. He was also named the Cranford, N.J. Jaycees Outstanding Young Man of The Year in 1966. He was former principal at DeKalb Eastern School Corporation. In 1967, he left the newspaper business to become a National Teacher Corps Intern in Springfield, MA in order to further his education and pursue his dream of becoming a school principal. During his two years as a Teacher Corps Intern, he earned his master's degree in education. He also organized a Saturday Enrichment Program which provided extra activities and trips for disadvantaged youth as well as organized a baseball team for similar youngsters. Upon graduation, he was named Outstanding Intern for the Springfield Teacher Corps project. He taught sixth grade in Butler before becoming an elementary principal first at Prairie Heights School Corp. in Orland, and then at both Butler and Riverdale Elementary Schools from 1973 to 1980. Following his tenure at DeKalb Eastern, he was principal at Washington Elementary School in Plymouth from 1980 to 1997. During this time, Washington Elementary School was selected as one of the 12 best elementary schools in the State of Indiana. The school was visited by the State Governor as an exemplary education site as well as named a four-star school on several occasions. He was named Indiana Elementary Principal of the Year in 1988 and a National Distinguished Principal in 1989. During his years as principal, he was a speaker at a number of local, state and national functions, a Facilitator for the Indiana Principals' Leadership Academy, a member of several committees to work with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, as well as writing articles that appeared in national publications and co-authored several education booklets. In addition, he was editor and publisher of The Indiana Principal magazine for 18 years. He spent all of his summers (35+) working at Culver Summer Camps where he served as a Division Commander, Program Director, Director of Tennis, and Fly Fishing Instructor. In addition, he taught fly fishing for many Park Departments in north central Indiana. He joined the education consulting firm of Speicher and Fields upon his retirement as school principal in 1997. Several years later, he established his own consulting business, InfoRay Education Service, in order to assist small school corporations with technology and grant writing. Surviving are his wife, Sue Ann Ray of Plymouth; two sons, Kenneth (Kim) Ray of Plymouth, Ind. and Kevin (Lindsay) Ray of Argyle, Texas; two daughters, Kathleen (Toby) Reeves of Noblesville, Ind. and Kellie (Paul) Pirkle of Naperville, Ill.; a brother, William (Eileen) Ray of Cranford, N.J.; a sister, Janet (Borut) Ray-Korosec of Antioch, Calif.; two nieces; 16 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Funeral service is noon Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, at Plymouth Community Church 11802 Lincoln Hwy, Plymouth, with visitation from 10 a.m. to noon. Pastors Darek Morris and Denny Wilson of Warsaw Community Church officiating. Burial will be in the Culver Masonic Cemetery, Culver. Memorial Contributions can be made to the Marshall County Community Foundation, 2680 Miller Dr., Suite 120, Plymouth (IN 46563). The Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, Plymouth, is assisting with arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnson-danielson.com