Ronald S. Ray

Ronald S. Ray, 84, of Clyde, Ohio, passed away peacefully at home on April 13, 2023. He was born in
Sandusky, OH to his parents Melvin G. and Hazel Ray. Ron graduated from Townsend Twp. High School.
He was an outstanding varsity athlete in basketball and baseball for four years. Ron attended Defiance
College where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education.
Upon his college graduation, he taught and coached at Margaretta High School. He then had an
opportunity to move to Marblehead, Ohio and be employed at Danbury Local Schools as a teacher,
Guidance Counselor, and Head Coach for the boys basketball team. He and his players enjoyed winning
four Lakeshore Conference Championships. He then moved on to the Clyde-Green Springs School
system as a Government teacher, and a head boys basketball and track coach. Coach Ray’s basketball
team won the school’s first Sectional Championship for the program.
While at Clyde High School he earned his Master’s Degree in Education at Indiana University,
Bloomington, IN. Ron then became a Guidance Counselor at Clyde High School for 2 years, then moved
on to an administrative position as Vice Principal for 3 years, being promoted to Principal at CHS until his
retirement in 1991.
After retirement, Ron became a Government Affairs Assistant in Columbus, Ohio for the Ohio
Association of Secondary School Administrators which led him to Washington DC, allowing him to enjoy
multiple opportunities meeting with legislators.
Ron spent several years as an Interim Administrator for such schools as Mohawk, Port Clinton, New
Riegel, Wauseon, and Genoa Middle School.
Ron married Carol Mathews Getty at First United Methodist Church on July 17, 1984. She survives.
They enjoyed 38 years of marriage.
Ron was an avid fisherman on Lake Erie, enjoying boating to the islands with family and friends. Ron
loved basketball his entire life. He especially enjoyed March Madness, high school basketball, enjoying
many trips with his sons to watch Ohio High School Basketball State Tournaments.
Ron was honored as an inductee into the Margaretta Hall of Fame in 2003 recognized as an outstanding
basketball player. Ron was also honored in January 2022, being inducted into the Danbury Local Schools
Hall of Fame as both the Head Basketball Coach and his 1965 boys basketball team.
Ron will be remembered for his great sense of humor, his love of family, and the love for all whose life
path crossed with his along his journey.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife Carol, his daughters Tari Jennings and Trudi Speer; his sons, Tod
Ray, Troy Ray, Ty (Janelle) Ray, Michael (Mary Beth) Getty, and Andrew (Laura) Ray; Grandchildren Rob
(Amber) Jennings, Ashley Jennings, Kylee Ray, Kelsey Ray, Lucas Ray, Ben (Krista) Ray, Alison Speer,
Simon and Benji Getty, Molly and Wesley Ray; and seven great grandchildren, Laynee and Emery
Jennings, Braidyn, Brianna, and Blake Dixie, Beatrice and Oden Ray; along with many loved nieces and
nephews near and far. Ron loved all of his large family.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents, brother Alton (Betty) Ray, brother-in-law Steve Mathews,
Sisters, Doris (Ted) Neidler, Shirley (Pye) Pfeifer-Vining, sisters-in-law, Charlotte Mathews Ludban, Susan
Mathews, and nephew Dennis Neidler.
There will be a viewing for Ron on Sunday, April 16 th from 1pm-5pm at Mitchell-Auxter Funeral Home,
218 South Main St, Clyde, Ohio. Private family burial will be held on Monday, April 17 th at McPherson
Cemetery, Clyde, Ohio.
The family would be honored by any memorial contributions in Ron’s name to: The Herman Gant
Scholarship, 209 Lowell St, Castalia, Ohio 44824, or Back To The Wild, Inc., 4504 Bardshar Rd., Castalia, Ohio 44824

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