Charles Lemar Ray

Charles Lamar Ray was born October 25, 1959. He was born in Port Lyautey, Morocco, Africa, the first child born to Maurine Beecroft and the seventh child born to Ernest Lee, Ray Senior. Charlie took a lot of teasing throughout his life because he had very red, very curly hair. Everyone said it was because he was born in Africa. Charlie lived a couple of years in Morocco and then his father who was stationed at the US Naval Air Station in Africa was given orders for Norton Air Force Base in California, followed by orders to Germany. They lived in Germany for a couple of years, then they moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where Charlie graduated from Saguaro High School and earned his varsity team letter. In his high school years, he loved ball games and he loved his cousins. He often took his cousins to ball games. He is well remembered by his cousins for the large turquoise ring that he wore. When they would tease him, he would thump them on the head with it. Charlie went on his mission to Illinois. The next big event in Charlie’s life after Charlie got home from his mission was the passing of his mother, Maurine Beecroft. Charlie went to school to become a respiratory therapist, graduating in 1984 from Gateway community college in Phoenix, Arizona. He moved to California to work and met and married Deborah Yourczek, in May 1987. He then had a ready made-family. Debra had three boys, Jim, Eric, and Jacob Faust. In May 1988 they had Myrna Marie Ray. Charlie got a degree from Harold business college in November of 1990. Charlie took his family to Utah. In February 1992 where he got a certificate as a Respiratory Care Practitioner in Utah. He worked as a respiratory therapist at McKay Dee Hospital for two years. It is while working at McKay Dee that he lost his infamous turquoise ring. In May 1992 Rebecca Elizabeth Ray was added to the family. He moved his family to Idaho, living in Shoshone, Buhl, and Gooding, Idaho. Charlie was manager of Kings variety store, in Gooding and Buhl, Idaho and Baker City, and Burns, Oregon. Then they moved to a little town in Nevada, Silver Springs, where they bought a home. Charlie and Deborah were divorced in 2017. At that time, Charlie moved back to Gooding, Idaho. Then he moved to Twin Falls, Idaho. While living in Twin Falls he met Marilyn Hillman on a dating site. They were married on May 12, 2018 and were sealed in the Logan Temple on June 28, 2019. Charlie worked at Walmart in Logan for several years. Charlie was a hard worker, he loved people and loved to visit with them. Charlie did indexing for the Church for years, until his eye sight deteriorated. It has been said: the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, but to those who endure in faithfulness to the end. Charlie endured faithfully to the end. Charlie was a good man and was well loved by his family on both sides of the veil.