Our treasured husband, father, and grandfather, Larry Ray, went to join his friend and Savior on Friday, October 1, 2021. Larry was born in Greencastle, Indiana on January 22, 1939, and grew up on the family farm near Cloverdale, Indiana. He was a graduate of Cloverdale High School (1957), Purdue University (BS Agriculture 1961, MS Education 1965), and United Theological Seminary (MDIV 1969). Larry and his wife, Wilma, met at Purdue and married on December 24, 1961. This Christmas Eve would have been their 60th wedding anniversary. They have two daughters; Lynn, living in Woodinville, Washington, Nancy (George) Chung, of Woodinville, Washington, and three granddaughters: Veronica, Vanessa, and Valerie Chung.
Larry is also survived by his brother, Rod (Linda) Ray, Lafayette, Indiana, nephew Anthony (Kathryn) Ray, Greenfield, Indiana, and niece Michelle (Chris) Librie, Kaneohe, Hawaii, along with great-nephews and great-nieces, Carson and Fiona Ray and Caleb and Cadence Librie.
Additionally, Larry is survived by nephews: Jim (Jane) Link, Mike (Carol) Link, and Noel (Sue) Foster. From those nephews he has great and great, great nieces and nephews: Julie (Chad) Staat and daughter Logan (Matthew) Smith (children: Kora and Korbyn Smith); Jeremy (Jessi) Link; Jason (Julie) Link (children: Emma, Caleb, Deborah, and Peter Link); Rob (Kristy) Link, Kalamazoo, Michigan (children: Jake, Max, Zeke, Reese, and Elyse Link); and Shawn, and Shane Foster.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Cedric and Elvina (McCullough) Ray and his grandparents, Cyrus Herbert “Herb” and Rosa (Jordan) Ray, Herb’s second wife, Myrtle (Arnold), and Robert Eli “Bert” and Allie (Cook) McCullough, and great niece, Beverly Foster.
After serving as the Vocational Agriculture, Biology, and Chemistry teacher at Urbana High School and Vocational Agriculture teacher at Northfield High School, Larry attended United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He interned as an associate pastor at St. Andrews UMC in Milton, Pennsylvania. In 1969, Larry was ordained as Elder in the United Methodist Church for the former North Indiana Conference.
Larry and Wilma began their ministry in Colfax and New Hope. From there, they served churches in Lafontaine, Huntington, Kendallville, Bluffton and South Bend. Before retiring in 2004, Larry served as District Superintendent of the Fort Wayne United Methodist District for 8 years.
When Larry and Wilma retired to their new home between Wabash and Huntington in 2004, Larry began his service as the parish visitation pastor at North Manchester UMC in May 2007 until retiring in July 2021, although, he never really retired from visiting and caring for people.
Serving the community was essential to Larry. Besides being a frequent donor for American Red Cross, he was honored to be a part of several organizations: Parkview Hospital Board (1996-2004), Heritage Pointe Board, Indiana Forestry and Woodland Owners Association Board; North Indiana Conference UMC Board of Ministry, Purdue University Alumni Association (Life Member), Purdue University Agriculture Alumni (Life Member), Ceres Fraternity; Habitat for Humanity (Fort Wayne) Board; and Charter Member of Fairway Cooperative House Purdue (1958).
Larry believed in sustainable, productive agriculture and was very proud to say he was a “farmer and forestry conservationist”. His earlier days of farming for his dad, as well as during his time with the Purdue University Department of Agriculture, were all very important to Larry. He had a sincere and profound love of agriculture, and in general, the joy of feeding the world.
His avid love of nature continued for the rest of his years, whether it was saving trees, camping, backpacking, or hiking. The annual hike on the Appalachian Trail with his minister buddies, his brother Rod, and good friend, Bill VanAlstine, was always a cherished time for Larry.
Above all, Larry’s favorite activity was spending time with his wife, Wilma, and his daughters, Lynn and Nancy and Nancy’s family: husband George, and their daughters, Veronica, Vanessa and Valerie. Larry and Wilma loved to travel. They visited all 50 states and many nations across the world.
He also enjoyed spending time with Wilma and her nephews at Wilma’s family farm as well as cultivating a healthy forest at his family farm, Ray Acres, with daughters, granddaughters, niece Michelle, and especially all the extra time at Ray Acres with brother, Rod, and nephew, Anthony. One of Larry’s most favorite activities was using a chainsaw, or spraying to make sure invasive plants, bushes and trees were eliminated from the family’s forest land. Through their collective efforts, Ray Acres received the State of Indiana Charles Deam Forest Stewardship Award in 2014.
It was a great sense of pride to Larry that for the past 17 years he was able to run (then walk) the Indy mini marathon with daughter, Lynn, and friends; one year with daughter, Nancy and friend; one year with niece Michelle; and one year with brother Rod and sister-in-law, Linda.
Most importantly, Larry believed in passing Christ’s love to all humankind. He knew that God loves everyone. He spent 53 years of providing pastoral care to anyone who needed him. His personality and zest for life inspired his family to seek out adventure while preserving God’s beautiful land. Larry left an imprint on us all. Now he is hiking a different trail in a higher place.
Arrangements have been made through Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, Wabash, Indiana. Viewing will be held from 3 – 8 PM Thursday, October 7, 2021, in the Fellowship Hall of Wabash First United Methodist Church at 110 Cass St, Wabash, IN 46992 and the Celebration of Life/Memorial Service is on Friday, October 8th at 10:30 AM also at First United Methodist Church, Wabash, Indiana.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations of money or time in Larry’s name to any of the following: Habitat for Humanity, Heifer International, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, or your church of choice.
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