Joyce Ray

Funeral Services: Will be held on Friday, January 23, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenfield with burial in the Greenfield Cemetery. Pastor David Kincaide will officiate the service.   

Open Visitation: Will be held on Thursday, January 22nd, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield. 

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends on Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield. 

Memorials: To the Joyce Ray memorial fund to be established by the family. 

Joyce Joan Johnson Ray was born on a farm south of Bridgewater on June 4, 1935, to Victor and Verna (Evans) Johnson. She passed away on January 18, 2015.

Joyce grew up between Bridgewater and Greenfield, attending school in both communities and graduating from high school in Greenfield in 1953. She worked for Piper’s Variety Saturdays and summers while in high school in Greenfield and later at J. C. Penney’s in Monterey, California, while Wayne was in the service.

On April 5, 1953, Joyce was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Wayne Lee Ray, at the Presbyterian Church in Greenfield. After Wayne’s time in the service, they made their home in Greenfield, celebrating 59 years together. To this union three children were born: Wendell Lee, Linda Louise, and Ann Marie. Joyce took great pride in her family.

Joyce loved her family, home, and church. She enjoyed cooking and baking. She worked alongside her husband for 50 years, owning and operating Wayne’s Radio Service—later to be called Wayne’s TV-Appliance-Giftware. She enjoyed the customers and friendships made over the years. She enjoyed going to market and buying merchandise for the store, making pretty displays, and helping customers select gifts.

Joyce was a member of the Presbyterian Church and served as a Sunday school teacher, team teaching young children with her husband for many years. She enjoyed music and was an active member of the church choir for years. Joyce and Wayne sang for many funeral services. She also served on the session.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne; parents, Verna and Victor Johnson; mother- and father-in-law, Hazel and Lyle Ray; and sister-in-law, Virginia Ray Piper Cannon. She is survived by her three children, Wendell (Diane) Ray of Greenfield, Iowa, Linda (Al) Polito of Monticello, Iowa, and Ann Ray of Cincinnati, Ohio; her grandchildren, Jonas (Jill) Ray, Jordan Ray, Joel Ray, Josiah (Rachel) Polito, and Blythe Polito; foster family, Tricia McClure, Erika Janson, Kane McClure, and Alaynah Palmer; sister, Judy Lourens; nieces and nephews; and many other relatives and friends.