Ethel Ray

Ethel Lorena Ray, age 89 of Ingram, passed away Tuesday, August 4, 2015 in a local hospital. She was born November 16, 1925 in Houston to Harold Herman Miles and Mary Lilian Riley. She was raised by her step-father, Joe Jefferson Crowl, who she was very close with.\r\n \r\nEthel served in the United States Air Force as an Airman 2nd Class from November 1952 to April of 1955.\r\n \r\nOne of things that Ethel held dear to her was the Girl Scouts. As a child, she was not involved in the Girl Scouts but when her husband, George, who was also in the Air Force, was stationed in England, her only daughter, Mary, wanted to join. She volunteered as a co-leader with the Girl Guides, the English equivalent to America's Girl Scouts. Ethel felt a special bond with the Queen of England, who is a registered Girl Guide herself, because they were not only both grandmothers, but also into Scouting. One time, she even dressed up as Queen Elizabeth during an adult Girl Scout Camp weekend at Camp Mira Sol. \r\n \r\nBack in the states, "Grandma," as her scouts, their parents and troop leaders nicknamed her, was co-leader of cadet senior Girl Scout Troop 356 which included Ethel's two granddaughters. She was also an advisor to Brownie Troop 1165. Besides outdoor camping, she loved everything about the Girl Scouts.\r\n \r\nEthel was a member of Living Tree Baptist Church in Ingram.\r\n \r\nShe was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, George; daughter, Mary Warren; and a great grandchild, Tommy Ray.\r\n \r\nSurvivors include son-in-law, Bill Warren of Ingram; grandchildren, Cindy Gibson of Killeen, Crystal McDade of Hutto, Roland Ray of Louisville, Mississippi, Cheryl Bulgawitz of Copperas Cove and Kevin Warren of Ingram; and 7 great grandchildren.\r\n \r\nVisitation will be held Saturday, August 8, 2015, 5-7 PM at Grimes Funeral Chapels.\r\n \r\nServices will be held Sunday, August 9, 2015, 4 PM at Grimes Funeral Chapels officiated by Brother Thomas Jeffers. Private burial will be held at Forest Park Lawndale in Houston.\r\n \r\nIn lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Kerr County Girl Scouts, 110 Homer Drive, Kerrville, TX 78028 or Living Tree Baptist Church.