Lee Eugene Ray, age 75, of Prior Lake, MN, passed away peacefully on January 20, 2022. A Celebration of Life service will be held for Lee at 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 5, 2022 at Friendship Church, Shakopee Campus, 12800 Marystown Rd, Shakopee, MN 55379, with Pastor Kenny White presiding. Visitation will be held prior to services from 12:00 – 2:00 PM.
Lee, his parents, Eugene and Shirley Ray, and four younger siblings, grew up on a farm in Newton, Iowa. Living on a farm instilled a tremendous work ethic that persisted throughout his entire life.
To say Lee loved sports is an understatement! In high school, he loved being in the gym or on the track field. He participated in many sports in high school and graduated in 1964.
Lee was raised by Christian parents and was encouraged to attend Bethany College where he met and married Carolyn Ann Madison in 1967. Lee pursued additional education at St. Paul Bible College for two years. As part of his education at St. Paul Bible, he ministered at Lutheran Brotherhood Church in Menomonie, WI. While attending college, Lee worked at Red Owl grocery stores. He eventually started working there full-time and became a manager at two different stores. In 1970 their first son, Jeff was born and in 1972 their second son, Kevin was born.
In 1975, the Lord called Lee, Carolyn, and their two boys, Jeff and Kevin, to Winthrop, Maine where they ministered at a home for troubled boys. Their third son David was born there in 1978. For four years, Lee worked with the boys and helped with the farm. While working on the farm, Lee became a licensed orchardist and helped to revive the unattended apple orchard. He loved this work. After four years, the state closed the home for boys. The Maine property was owned by Bethany Fellowship, and they offered to move the family back to Bethany in Bloomington, Minnesota. Lee worked in management positions in various departments including manufacturing and selling trailers and appliances. His longest supervision was in the cleaning and security at the BCOM campus. During this time, Lee once again worked with the youth in the Boys Club. He became involved with umpiring and refereeing part-time and at one point held it as his full-time job. He was the Umpire Chief for the City of Eden Prairie for many years.
The time that he valued and cherished most was with his family. Lee looked forward to getting together after church on Sundays for KFC with the family. Lee will be remembered as someone who could mix his work with fun and good times, someone who always had a big smile for those he met. He was a happy, generous man that was loved and respected by many.
Forever loved, Lee will be missed by his loving wife, Carolyn; sons, Jeffrey (JayAnn) Ray and their daughters, Karlie (Cole) Neubert, Kensie Ray, and Brynna Ray, Kevin (Alicia) Ray and their daughters, Victoria, Nicole, and Daniella, and David (Amanda) Ray and their children, Anastasia, Alexander, and Adilynn; siblings, Larry Ray, Leslie (Kay) Ray, Beverly (Timothy) Wright, Bryce (Charlotte) Ray; and other loving relatives and devoted friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Shirley (Fenner) Ray.
