Ray J. McQuary

On April 16th, Ray Jackson McQuary died at his home in Kingwood, Texas at the age of 79. He is survived by his wife, Lily, their children and grandchildren, his sister-in-law, Betty, and his nieces and nephew. He led a full life filled with laughter and love and will truly be missed. He told the most outlandish stories that were mostly true.

He was born in Austin on January 23, 1940, traveled the world, and like all true Texans came back "home". His parents, William McQuary and Nell De Graffenried, raised him until his mother passed away. His dad married Jessie McQuary and she legally adopted Ray and his older brother Bill. They lived in many places including four wonderful years in Chile until he went to the Tennessee Military Institute and Wentworth Academy for school. Ray then graduated both from West Point and The United States Army Ranger School. After this training, he served his country in Vietnam as a Captain in the 4th Engineer Battalion.

While stationed in Dexheim, Germany, he met Lily - a lovely lady from Luxembourg - and being a young, strapping 6'-5" man, he swept Lily off her feet and brought her back to Texas. After the military, Ray graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Doctor of Jurisprudence. He had a successful professional career that started with working for the Staff Council at the Texas Department of Corrections, then was a Federal Magistrate in the Panama Canal Zone and in Houston, had his private law practice in Houston, taught at the University of St. Thomas, ran as a Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge candidate and lastly was a Social Security Administrative Law Judge. In his free time, which he still somehow had, he was active in the community and provided pro bono legal aid.

He spent 55 glorious years with his wife and had four children: Bryan, Philip, Laura and 11 years later - Melanie! He raised them to be fair, honest, generous, hardworking, independent thinkers and to know the value of a dollar. He touched many lives and that is how he shall live on.

St. Martha's in Kingwood will be holding a mass for Ray on May 3rd at 10 am, and a reception will follow. Condolences can be shared online at www.dignitymemorial.com.