Ramona F. Gray

Ramona Gray was born on January 25, 1937, to Louie and Marie Fisher, in Hutchinson, Kansas. She had seven siblings (Marie, Leo, Polly, Jay, Bob, Virgil, and Mark), all of whom preceded her in death.

At age 10 her family moved from Hutchinson, Kansas to Tucson, Arizona in search of a more prosperous life. She attended grade school, junior high school, and high school in Tucson.

Tucson is the home of Davis Monthan Air Force Base. While in high school Ramona met James Gray, a young airman stationed at the military base. They married on June 21, 1953. James and Ramona were blessed with seven children: James Jr., Twins Terry, and Jerry (deceased at birth), Charlotte, Glenda (deceased at birth), Bonnie, and Linda.

James’ career in the U.S. Air Force took Ramona and her children from Tucson and Chandler, Arizona, to French Morocco, Africa; Sunnymead, California; Hutchinson, Kansas, and back to Tucson. James had tours of duty in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, while Ramona stayed in the states to take care of their growing family.

Ramona and James moved their family to Marion, Texas (where James’ family lived) in 1971, after James’ retirement from the Air Force. Ramona began work in the Marion ISD cafeteria in 1972 as a cook. Eventually she became the cafeteria supervisor until her retirement in 1995.

After retirement, Ramona and James enjoyed trips to Branson, Missouri with brother and sister-in-laws, visiting other relatives in Texas and other states, cooking for her family anytime they showed up, baking, coloring, working in her Iris patch, working word search books, and working jigsaw puzzles with James and other family members as they visited. As grandchildren and great grandchildren came along Ramona took great pleasure in playing board and card games, attending recitals, and sports activities.

Ramona is survived by son James W. Gray Jr and his wife Gina, daughter Charlotte and her husband Bill Baker, daughter Bonnie and her partner Vickie Gray, and daughter Linda Gray, granddaughter Lauren and her husband Jason Woolf and great grandchildren Evan, Mariilyn and Cullen, granddaughter Danielle and her husband Chris Boyd and great grandchildren Celeste and Maverick, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and close friends.

Services honoring Ramona will be held on Friday, May 9, 2025, at Goetz Funeral Home. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the Funeral Service beginning at 11:30 a.m. A family graveside will be held at a later time at Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in memory of Ramona Gray to the St. John Lutheran Learning Center Capital Campaign 606 Center St. Marion, Texas 78124, SJLLCCaptialCampaign@gmail.com, or the Marion Community Library P.O. Box 619 Marion, Texas 78124.