Thomas B. Ray

Thomas B. Ray, age 81, passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, after a long battle with COPD. Tommy grew up in Pensacola, Fla. He graduated from Pensacola High School, is a graduate of a four-year Police Academy and attended Northwestern University School of Law. He has been in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., since 1972 where he served as Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety for over nine years, with a total of 20 years in law enforcement in Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach. He was also partnered with his son Tim in the Development and Building business where he was known to many as one of the pioneering developers of the Crestview, Fla., area. He built hundreds of homes, numerous subdivisions, and created the central hub of commercial development in Crestview including Walmart, Lowes, Cracker Barrel and many others. Tommy was often teased that Crestview should be renamed to Rayville.
Tommy has served as a member of the Governor's Criminal Justice Council, as Chairman, Okaloosa-Walton Junior College Advisory Committee on Law Enforcement, was a member of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, and has been active in legislative affairs. Tommy was also the 27th Captain Billy Bowlegs.
Tommy spent four years in the Marine Corps, with 17 months combat in Korea. He is a member of St. Simons on the Sound Episcopal Church. His hobbies were quail hunting, both in competitive field trials and on his private plantation.
Tommy is survived by his wife, Margaret; daughter, Tamara; sons, Tom and Tim, along with his wife Kathy; grandchildren, Nicole, Trent, Trevor, and Travis.
The funeral service will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 9, at the Emerald Coast Funeral Home located at 113 Racetrack Road, Fort Walton Beach. The family will receive friends from 1 to 3 p.m., prior to the service.
Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at www.emeraldcoastfuneralhome.com.