On Wednesday evening, October 13th, God saw that Violet J. Ray was getting tired and a cure was not to be; so he put His arms around her, and whispered, “Come with Me.”
At the age of 71, Violet passed away at 10:10 p.m. in the company of her family at her Kewanna residence of the past 15 years.
She was born at home, in Plymouth, the daughter of James O. and Grace B. (Sutherlin) Gaines on May 1, 1939. Violet was raised in Plymouth along with nine brothers and sisters. She was a 1957 graduate of Plymouth’s Lincoln High School.
On Christmas Eve of 1961, at the E.U.B. Church in Walkerton, she married Robert Wayne Ray.
Violet was employed at the Young Door Co. in Plymouth for 17 years before taking a position she loved as a van driver for the JJR Company with the Head Start Program before suffering a disability in 1995.
She loved to then travel with Bob experiencing many trips to the Colorado Rockies camping. Violet also enjoyed Bingo, sewing and collecting tea pots.
Surviving along with her husband Bob are the couple’s four children, seven grand children and four great-grandchildren. They are: daughter Judy Lynn Reed of Plymouth; daughter Beth Ann (Jeff) Aker of Zephyrhills, Florida and children: Spencer Elizabeth, Leihana Grace and Natalie Jayne; daughter Wendy Jo (Fred) Berkeypile of Plymouth and children: Shannon, Brandi and Boston; son James Robert (Karen) Ray of Argos and child: Travis. The four great-grandchildren are: Dallas, Jack, Noah and Madyson.
Surviving siblings include: Loretta Keehn of Walkerton, Shirley DeBow, Elizabeth Ward Barbara (George) Dickerson, Joseph (Janet) Gaines and Roger (Denise) Gaines all of Plymouth and Brenda Carter of Argos along with numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters: Carolyn Kitts and Evelyn Gaines and a brother: Richard Gaines.
The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 16th in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St. Plymouth. Services will follow visitation at 1 p.m. in the funeral home. The Rev. Glen Mitchell will officiate.
Memorial gifts in Violet’s memory may be made to the National Kidney Foundation of Indiana 911 E. 86th St. Suite 100, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240 or Guardian Angel Hospice Inc. 1050 W. Market St. Logansport, Indiana 46947.