Patricia W. Ray, 92, Former Teacher & Librarian

Patricia W. (Tay) Ray, a former librarian and long-time Topsfield resident, died on Feb. 1, 2013 from complications of dementia at Havenwood-Heritage Heights retirement community in Concord, NH at the age of 92.

She was born on May 15, 1920, in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Dr. Harry D. Wray and Maud G. Wray. She moved with her family as a small child to Malone, NY and graduated from Franklin Academy in 1938 and earned a bachelor’s degree from Alfred University in 1942.

In November 1942 she married John G. Ray, Jr., an Alfred classmate. After teaching for a year at North Lawrence (N.Y.) High School, Mrs. Ray joined her husband in Emporium, PA, where Mr. Ray was working for Sylvania Electric Co.

Shortly after the birth of their first child in 1945, the couple moved to Mineola (L.I.), New York, where they resided for eight years. In 1953 Mrs. Ray and her family moved to Huntington Station (L.I.), New York, and in 1958 to Topsfield.

She did additional graduate work in library science at Northeastern University and worked as a librarian at the Topsfield Town Library and later at Masconomet Regional High School.

Mrs. Ray was for many years an active member of the Topsfield Congregational Church, serving for a time as superintendant of the Sunday School. She was an avid bridge player and reader of nonfiction, and enjoyed bird-watching at her feeder and in the wild.

After their retirement in 1984 Mr. and Mrs. Ray traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and 1997 moved to the Havenwood-Heritage Heights community. Mr. Ray died in 2001.

Mrs. Ray is survived by four sons: John G. (Jack) Ray III of Baltimore, Richard H. (Dick) Ray of North Hampton, N.H., James W. (Jim) Ray and his wife Pauline of Westford, Mass., and Robert C. (Bob) Ray and his wife Denise of Derry, N.H.; a sister, Carolyn Nixen of Tarzana, Calif.; 10 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service is being planned for late May.