NAME: OLIVER PERRY O.P. RAY, AGE 73, A LIFELONG ATOKA COUNTY RESIDENT.

BORN: DECEMBER 18, 1928 AT ATOKA TO RALPH DILLON AND EDNA CLETUS(HANKINS) RAY. PASSED AWAY: THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2002 WITHIN 50 STEPS OF WHERE HE WAS BORN DOING WHAT HE LOVED BEST, WORKING   ON THE RANCH. AGE: 73 YEARS 2 MONTHS AND 26 DAYS. EDUCATION: GRADUATED FROM ATOKA HIGH SCHOOL, ATTENDED MURRAY STATE COLLEGE, AND SOUTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY AND OBTAINED A DEGREE IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION. MARRIED: CAROL HODGE BRINKLEY ON JULY 19, 1968 AT ATOKA, OK. OCCUPATION: HE WORKED A NUMBER OF YEARS FOR RAYFLEX OIL EXPLORATION CO. OVERSEAS. HE WORKED 27 YEARS FOR THE OKLAHOMA STATE DEPT.AGRICULTURE RETIRING IN 1992. HE WAS CO-OWNER OF THE RAY BROTHERS BRANGUS RANCHES WHICH WAS RECENTLY RECOGINIZED AS A CENTENNIAL RANCH HAVING BEEN IN THE SAME FAMILY SINCE 1864. THE RANCH WAS ORIGINATED BY HIS GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER JOHN SMALLWOOD. CHURCH AFFILIATION: PERRY WAS A MEMBER OF THE CANEY BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE HE SERVED AS A DEACON. PERRY SERVED HIS COUNTRY IN THE U.S ARMY 45TH AS MILITARY POLICE. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE OKLA. BRANGUS ASSN, THE INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS ASSN., OKLA. CATTLEMANS ASSN.,, THE TEXAS SOUTHWEST CATTLEMANS ASSN., OKLA BEEF INC. OF STILLWATER AND SERVED IN MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIIONS LOCALLY AND STATE WIDE. SURVIVED BY WIFE: CAROL OF THE HOME NEAR CANEY, OK. SISTER: SUE HILTON OF ATOKA, OK. BROTHER: THOMAS RALPH TINKER RAY AND WIFE ELMALOU OF ATOKA, OK. NIECES: JANICE STEWART CORBIN AND HUSBAND CARLTON OF GLADEWATER,TX. VALERIE RAY VADEN AND HUSBAND DAVID OF CONIFER, CO. BEVERLY RAY COCHRAN AND HUSBAND SCOTT OF ATOKA, OK. NEPHEW: DAVID RALPH RAY AND WIFE JANET OF TUSHKA, OK. FATHER-IN-LAW: DELBERT HODGE OF ATOKA, OK. GRANDNEPHEWS: STEWART CORBIN AND WIFE MELONIE, JEFF RAY, DILLON COCHRAN, DUSTIN COCHRAN. GRANDNIECES: JULIE RAY AND CARLI RAY. GREAT GRANDNIECES: BAILEY ANNE CORBIN AND LAURABELLE RAY CORBIN. PRECEDED IN DEATH BY PARENTS: RALPH AND EDNA RAY. SISTER: JUNE STEWART. UNCLE AND AUNT: PIERCE AND NEDRA HANKINS. MOTHER IN-LAW: IDEE HODGE. grayline DATE OF SERVICES: MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2002 AT 10:00 A.M. PLACE OF SERVICES: CANEY BAPTIST CHURCH ~ CANEY, OK. INTERMENT: GREEN MEADOWS CEMETERY ~ ATOKA, OK. OFFICIATING: REV. JEREMY PARHAM. ASSISTING: REV. TOM HARGRAVES. CASKETBEARERS: AARON HAYES, ROBERT CALVERT, RANDY BRISTER, NICK BRISTER, ROGER HOLLEY, MIKE THOMAS. HONORARY CASKETBEARERS: PAT NORTON, DR. DON PARHAM, FORREST ROUNSAVILLE, GLO ROUNSAVILLE, BOB BURKE, MACK CARR JR, AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE 45TH M.P. REUNION.