Jeanne Ray

(From Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home)

With deep love and sadness, we share the passing of Roberta Jean (Jeanne) Ray (Hackleman), who left this world peacefully at 9:37 a.m. on May 2, 2026, surrounded by her family.

Jeanne was a woman of remarkable strength, intelligence, and heart. Fiercely smart and deeply dedicated, she built a successful career as an accountant, retiring from General Mills in Joplin, Missouri. She approached her work with precision and pride, and lived her life with grit, grace, and a signature spark that made her unforgettable.






Born on December 22, 1960, in El Dorado Springs, Missouri, to Robert and Evelyn Hackleman, Jeanne grew up on the family farm, where her close-knit family worked, played, and laughed together daily. She carried those early lessons and values with her throughout her life. Jeanne graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia, where she laid the foundation for both her career and the life she would go on to build.

She married her high school sweetheart, Kevin Lambeth, and became a mother to her daughter, Jessica—a role she cherished above all else. She later married Larry Ray, and they shared many happy years of life together.

To know her was to be loved by her. She found joy in cooking, working in her garden, and time on the golf course, but some of her happiest moments were spent taking her beloved dog, Chrissy, on drives and other adventures. More than anything, she poured her love into her family. Her grandchildren, Brynn and Taylor, were the light of her life, and she treasured every moment as their "Neeny." She also shared a special bond with her nephews David and Daniel, who were like grandsons to her.

She had a deep love for animals, especially Chrissy, who she is surely reunited with now—perhaps already off on one of their long drives or wandering familiar back roads and peaceful places she loved most.

Jeanne is survived by her husband, Larry Ray; her daughter, Jessica, and son-in-law, Blaine, and their daughters, Brynn and Taylor; her stepchildren, Stephen and his wife Natalia and their sons, Jake and Ethan, and Stephanie and her husband Collin; her brother, Danny, his wife Christy, and their sons Eric and Matthew; and her sister, Dana and her sons David and Daniel. She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Evelyn.

We take comfort in imagining her reunited with them, rejoicing and at peace.

Jeanne will be remembered for her warmth, her sharp mind, her sense of humor, and the unwavering way she showed up for the people she loved. She taught those around her how to live with resilience and kindness, and her presence will be deeply missed every day.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any memorial contributions be made in her name to the Springfield Humane Society, in honor of her lifelong love of animals.