From newspaper obituary -- don't know name of paper.
Ray Was Leader in Watervliet Church
WATERVLIET, Feb 15 ---William Henry Ray, 64, died Monday morning in the state hospital, Kalamazoo, where he was taken one week previously for treatment. His death followed a brief illness.
A son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Ray, he was born Dec. 14, 1879, in Watervliet. He was a grandson of Henry J. Ray, early day Watervliet settler, who was among others instrumental in the construction of the Methodist church, Watervliet's oldest house of worship. He was a fruit culturalist and is credited with running one of the first nurseries in Berrien county.
With the exception of several years spent in Oregon[1], Mr. Ray lived in Watervliet. Following the death of his wife on the west coast[2] several years ago, he returned to Watervliet, bringing with him his family of five small children. He has since made his home here where he worked at his trade of carpenter.
He took a keen interest in civic affairs. When Hays park was started in 1934, he did the landscaping, a feat in which he excelled. He was a writer of poetry, many of his poems appearing in print. He was a member of the
I. O. O. F.
Two small sons, George, 7, died in Dec., 1931, and William Henry Jr., 12, died in May, 1933. The former died following a fall from his bicycle and the latter was struck by an automobile.[3]
An older son, Earl, is in the armed forces, stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. He visited his father here recently. Besides the son, he leaves two daughters, Mrs. [living], Bangor township, and Mrs. [living], of Watervliet; four grandchildren, and one brother, George Ray, of Kalamazoo.
The body was brought to the Keasey-Hutchins funeral home on Monday where it will remain until Wednesday afternoon, when it will be taken to Plymouth Congregational church, where funeral services will be conducted by Rev. Robert J. Burgess, at 2:30 o'clock. Burial will be in Watervliet cemetery.
[1] Oregon and Washington
[2] In Washington
[3] It's the other way around: William Henry was the bicycle accident; George was sruck by automobile.
Ray Was Leader in Watervliet Church
WATERVLIET, Feb 15 ---William Henry Ray, 64, died Monday morning in the state hospital, Kalamazoo, where he was taken one week previously for treatment. His death followed a brief illness.
A son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Ray, he was born Dec. 14, 1879, in Watervliet. He was a grandson of Henry J. Ray, early day Watervliet settler, who was among others instrumental in the construction of the Methodist church, Watervliet's oldest house of worship. He was a fruit culturalist and is credited with running one of the first nurseries in Berrien county.
With the exception of several years spent in Oregon[1], Mr. Ray lived in Watervliet. Following the death of his wife on the west coast[2] several years ago, he returned to Watervliet, bringing with him his family of five small children. He has since made his home here where he worked at his trade of carpenter.
He took a keen interest in civic affairs. When Hays park was started in 1934, he did the landscaping, a feat in which he excelled. He was a writer of poetry, many of his poems appearing in print. He was a member of the
I. O. O. F.
Two small sons, George, 7, died in Dec., 1931, and William Henry Jr., 12, died in May, 1933. The former died following a fall from his bicycle and the latter was struck by an automobile.[3]
An older son, Earl, is in the armed forces, stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. He visited his father here recently. Besides the son, he leaves two daughters, Mrs. [living], Bangor township, and Mrs. [living], of Watervliet; four grandchildren, and one brother, George Ray, of Kalamazoo.
The body was brought to the Keasey-Hutchins funeral home on Monday where it will remain until Wednesday afternoon, when it will be taken to Plymouth Congregational church, where funeral services will be conducted by Rev. Robert J. Burgess, at 2:30 o'clock. Burial will be in Watervliet cemetery.
[1] Oregon and Washington
[2] In Washington
[3] It's the other way around: William Henry was the bicycle accident; George was sruck by automobile.
From newspaper obituary -- don't know name of paper.
Ray Was Leader in Watervliet Church
WATERVLIET, Feb 15 ---William Henry Ray, 64, died Monday morning in the state hospital, Kalamazoo, where he was taken one week previously for treatment. His death followed a brief illness.
A son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Ray, he was born Dec. 14, 1879, in Watervliet. He was a grandson of Henry J. Ray, early day Watervliet settler, who was among others instrumental in the construction of the Methodist church, Watervliet's oldest house of worship. He was a fruit culturalist and is credited with running one of the first nurseries in Berrien county.
With the exception of several years spent in Oregon[1], Mr. Ray lived in Watervliet. Following the death of his wife on the west coast[2] several years ago, he returned to Watervliet, bringing with him his family of five small children. He has since made his home here where he worked at his trade of carpenter.
He took a keen interest in civic affairs. When Hays park was started in 1934, he did the landscaping, a feat in which he excelled. He was a writer of poetry, many of his poems appearing in print. He was a member of the
I. O. O. F.
Two small sons, George, 7, died in Dec., 1931, and William Henry Jr., 12, died in May, 1933. The former died following a fall from his bicycle and the latter was struck by an automobile.[3]
An older son, Earl, is in the armed forces, stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. He visited his father here recently. Besides the son, he leaves two daughters, Mrs. [living], Bangor township, and Mrs. [living], of Watervliet; four grandchildren, and one brother, George Ray, of Kalamazoo.
The body was brought to the Keasey-Hutchins funeral home on Monday where it will remain until Wednesday afternoon, when it will be taken to Plymouth Congregational church, where funeral services will be conducted by Rev. Robert J. Burgess, at 2:30 o'clock. Burial will be in Watervliet cemetery.
[1] Oregon and Washington
[2] In Washington
[3] It's the other way around: William Henry was the bicycle accident; George was sruck by automobile.
Ray Was Leader in Watervliet Church
WATERVLIET, Feb 15 ---William Henry Ray, 64, died Monday morning in the state hospital, Kalamazoo, where he was taken one week previously for treatment. His death followed a brief illness.
A son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Ray, he was born Dec. 14, 1879, in Watervliet. He was a grandson of Henry J. Ray, early day Watervliet settler, who was among others instrumental in the construction of the Methodist church, Watervliet's oldest house of worship. He was a fruit culturalist and is credited with running one of the first nurseries in Berrien county.
With the exception of several years spent in Oregon[1], Mr. Ray lived in Watervliet. Following the death of his wife on the west coast[2] several years ago, he returned to Watervliet, bringing with him his family of five small children. He has since made his home here where he worked at his trade of carpenter.
He took a keen interest in civic affairs. When Hays park was started in 1934, he did the landscaping, a feat in which he excelled. He was a writer of poetry, many of his poems appearing in print. He was a member of the
I. O. O. F.
Two small sons, George, 7, died in Dec., 1931, and William Henry Jr., 12, died in May, 1933. The former died following a fall from his bicycle and the latter was struck by an automobile.[3]
An older son, Earl, is in the armed forces, stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. He visited his father here recently. Besides the son, he leaves two daughters, Mrs. [living], Bangor township, and Mrs. [living], of Watervliet; four grandchildren, and one brother, George Ray, of Kalamazoo.
The body was brought to the Keasey-Hutchins funeral home on Monday where it will remain until Wednesday afternoon, when it will be taken to Plymouth Congregational church, where funeral services will be conducted by Rev. Robert J. Burgess, at 2:30 o'clock. Burial will be in Watervliet cemetery.
[1] Oregon and Washington
[2] In Washington
[3] It's the other way around: William Henry was the bicycle accident; George was sruck by automobile.
Gravesite Details
The 1879 birth year on headstone conflicts with 1878 found on other documents.
Family Members
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