Ronald L. Ray

Ronald Lee Ray, 87, of Carmel, Indiana, passed away peacefully on November 23, 2025, with his loving family by his side. He was born on December 20, 1937, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to the late Cleo Bernard “Bernie” Ray and Trena (Kilander) Ray.

Ron enjoyed watching his daughters play soccer so much that he took it upon himself to learn the game – and before long, he became a coach. He continued coaching for years and eventually served as Indiana’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) Director. After his girls graduated high school, Ron took over the Indiana High School Coaches Association (ISCA), which ran the state’s high school soccer tournament until 1994, when the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) assumed responsibility. Ron was integral in developing the guidelines that still shape the current high school tournament. In 2013, he was inducted into the Indiana Soccer Hall of Fame in recognition of his coaching and leadership in advancing women’s soccer in Indiana.

While dedicating himself to the world of soccer, Ron also maintained a full-time job and helped run a family business with his wife, Tanya, called TanRon Homes. The business became a place where the whole family pitched in – sometimes willingly, sometimes with a bit of persuasion. The kids often joked that they served as the “free labor” of TanRon Homes, learning early on how to paint, clean, repair, and care for a home. Ron and Tanya saw it not only as a way to build their business, but as a way to teach their children the value of hard work, responsibility, and working together as a family.

While juggling the demands of soccer, his full-time job, and running TanRon Homes with his wife, Tanya, he somehow managed to add one more tradition to the mix. The girls spent hours ironing his clothes so he looked sharp for work, a small act of devotion that became its own quiet ritual. And every fall – without fail – he enlisted the entire family for what grew into the legendary leaf-raking marathon. The moment the trees let go of their golden cargo, the girls knew to have a rake ready. What began as chores slowly transformed into chapters of family lore: long afternoons of talking, laughing, and discovering the quiet strength hidden in showing up, pitching in, and doing the work together.

Even in life’s hardest moments, Dad carried a sense of humor that could steady the ground beneath him – and everyone around him. He had a gift for finding light in dark places, offering a gentle joke or a perfectly times comment that lifted spirits when they were needed most. His wit and comic facial expressions were a quiet strength, a reminder that grace and resilience can come wrapped in humor. It was his way of showing us that even in sorrow, warmth can be found, and that joy is a legacy worth leaving.

He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 64 years, Tanya Ann Ray; parents, Cleo Bernard “Bernie” and Trena Ray; daughter, Rhonda Ferrell; and sister, Judy Ray.

Ron is survived by his daughters: Tammy (Hossam) Senousy of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, Raeann Ray of Carmel, Indiana, and Tawnn (Tim) Hoover of Granger, Indiana; son-in-law (Rhonda’s husband), Mark Farrell; grandchildren: Matt Ferrell, Dani Jones, Miriam Senousy, Jinan Senousy, Gabrielle Hoover, and Tyler Hoover; and great-grandchildren: Addison Ferrell, Gavin Ferrell, and Kinlee Jones.

A Visitation will be held on Friday, November 28, 2025, from 1pm to 2pm, with a Funeral Service at 2pm at Flanner Buchanan - Hamilton Memorial Park, Prairie Waters building, 4180 Westfield Road, Westfield Indiana, 46202. Ron’s final resting place will be at Hamilton Memorial Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Alzheimer's Association of Indiana (https://www.alz.org/help-support) in his memory.