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For two years and during very poor health, Ron just ‘wanted to go see Jesus’! With his wife by his side, Wednesday evening (February 9th) about six o’clock, he received that most cherished wish and prayer when he stepped into Heaven to see his Lord and Savior.
Ronald Terry Patray was born on February 5, 1937, in Norton, Virginia to James William Patray and Nora Terry Patray. When he was six weeks old the family moved to Starke, FL, where Ron grew up. He graduated from Bradford High School in 1954, and then enlisted in the Air Force where he served until December 1957. He then took a job with Otis Elevator. In May of 1957, he came home on leave from Japan and Guam and looked up Bobbie, whom he had known when she was a Freshman and when he was a Senior. Now she was a Senior about to graduate from High School. They started dating and were married in Starke, FL, on February 28, 1959, after which they moved to Jacksonville. It was during that dating time that Ron accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and was baptized in Kingsley Lake just outside Starke.
In September of 1960, Ron and Bobbie moved to Gainesville, FL, in order for Ron to start school at the University of Florida. Bobbie took a job at the University to work to support Ron’s efforts as he earned a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering. In May, 1965, Ron and Bobbie moved to Huntsville, AL, where Ron took a job with IBM and where they welcomed their precious daughter Sherri. He was so devoted to her, loved taking care of her and watching her grow up.
He managed several development projects for NASA including a test system for the Saturn/Apollo space program, flight software development labs for Space Shuttle and Space Lab, and three Space Shuttle crew trainers for training astronauts. These were all completed on schedule and under budget. He also managed vendors on a $10,000,000 procurement including significant customization of their systems. Cost and delivery schedules were achieved as planned.
It was during these years that Ron and Bobbie became every active in University Baptist Church where they did visitation for the church, he taught Sunday School, he started a bus ministry and served the Lord in a number of ways. In 1975, they moved their membership to Highlands Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon and to continue in the bus ministry. He really enjoyed working with the children.
In 1979, they moved to Lexington, KY, where he managed the development of a plastic injection molding manufacturing plant for making printer and typewriter covers and parts. He achieved goal to be in production in nine months after starting with a vacant lot. This included constructing a building, implementing MAPICS ERP system, procuring, modifying, overseeing development, and installing 31 plastic injection molding presses, and installing an automatic production tracking system.
He also managed the definition and development of a test case system which was used successfully in integration testing of new microprocessor-based typewriters and printers on a six month schedule. But more importantly, as a member of the Porter Memorial Baptist church, Ron continued to faithfully serve the Lord and witnessing to those who needed to hear a word from the Lord.
In 1986, the family moved to Nashville, TN where they quickly joined Two Rivers Baptist Church. Ron served as a deacon, did church visitation, and continued to be an eager witness to others about Jesus and invite them to church. Ron retired from IBM in 1992 and began private project management/consultation doing work for a number of entities including Thompson Caterpillar, Metropolitan Government, Tridon, TVA, State of Tennessee, and others.
In 2012, the family joined Forest Hills Baptist Church. It was about this time that Ron’s health began to fail, but he continued to be a faithful witness for his Lord and Savior. He so enjoyed coming to church and loved our Sunday School class and the wonderful, loving fellowship we had there. During many of the times he was in the hospital, he would frequently ask his caretakers: “Do you know Jesus?”
Ron was always very supportive of the time-consuming legislative, public policy and speaking work that Bobbie did with Eagle Forum. In 2019, he received the FRED SCHLAFLY EAGLE FORUM award ‘recognizing the crucial role of supportive husband’ (that he always played) from Eagle Forum and THE EAGLES. He was delighted and it was a well-earned and well-deserved award.
He talked often of wanting to ‘see Jesus’. We are confident that when he did last Wednesday, he heard, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
He was preceded in death by his father, James William Patray, mother, Nora Terry Patray; brothers Dr. Bill Patray, Don Patray, Gene Patray. He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Bobbie Patray, beloved daughter Sherri Patray; grandchildren Stephen Simpson (Nicole), Caitlin Simpson, and Jacob Simpson; great grandsons, Alexander Simpson and Maverick Simpson; sister Joanne Gassett and brother Art Patray: plus numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on February 26, 2022 at Forest Hills Baptist Church (2101 Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville, TN 37215). Visitation will be from noon until 2:00pm in the Atrium, with the service following in the sanctuary. Military honors will be rendered at the church. Interment will take place at 11:00 a.m. on February 28, 2022 at Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery (7931 McCrory Lane Nashville, Tennessee 37221).
Those desiring, memorials are suggested to the Forest Hills Baptist Church Building Fund, 2101 Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville, TN 37215.
Services under the direction of the TAYLOR FUNERAL HOME, 214 N. Main St. Dickson, TN 615-446-2808 TaylorSince1909.com
