James “Leon” Ray, age 75, of Aurora, Missouri, passed away Sunday, June 24, 2018 at Cox Medical Center South in Springfield, Missouri.
He was born July 12, 1942 in Shell Knob, Missouri the son of Lavern and Tessie (Reed) Ray. He was united in marriage to Naomi Smith, who preceded him in death. Also preceding him in death were his father, Lavern Ray; one brother, Bob Ray and a brother-in-law, Gary Gibson.
On July 31, 1999 he married Freda Smith Padgett, who survives. Also surviving are his mother, Tessie Ray of Shell Knob, Missouri; one son, Steven Ray of Aurora, Missouri; two daughters, Teresa Andrus and her husband Don of Battlefield, Missouri and Pamela Pace and her husband Randy of Aurora, Missouri; one stepson, Gene Padgett and his wife Meliah of Kansas City, Kansas; three stepdaughters, Gaylene Hart and her husband Jim of Independence, Missouri, Mary Ostermeier and her husband Don of Vista, California and Bonnie Atchison and her husband Larry of Shawnee, Kansas; three brothers, Ronnie Ray of Neosho, Missouri, Luther Ray and his wife Rowena of Aurora, Missouri and Mike Ray and his wife Annette of Hollister, Missouri; four sisters, Norma Gibson of Cassville, Missouri, Linda Welch of Kearney, Missouri, Joyce Bacon and her husband Charles of Marionville, Missouri and Mary Harris and her husband Melvin of Verona, Missouri; a half-sister, Patricia Merrill Furry of Redlands, California; four grandchildren, Grant and Cole Andrus and Trevor and McKenna Pace; eight step-grandchildren, Christy Gist and Jimmy Hart, Ashley Minichelli and Sarah Boulton, Jonathan and Timothy Atchison, and John and Jim Scott and two great grandchildren, Joycelyn and Riley Andrus.
Leon attended grade school at Fairview and then Cassville where he graduated from high school. He received his barber degree in Kansas City, Missouri. For twenty-eight years he was a self-employed barber, retiring in 1993. He was a member of Faith Full Gospel Church in Aurora, Missouri.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, June 28, 2018 at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville, Missouri. Pastor Rex Mooneyham will conduct the services. Burial will be at Clio Cemetery in Jenkins, Missouri.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. Wednesday at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.
Contributions may be made to Faith Full Gospel Church in memory of Leon.
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