Ann Ransome Ray

Ann Ransome Ray passed away at Valley Baptist Medical Center, Harlingen, Tx, on May 25, 2010 at the age of 82 years. She was a native of Brownsville, born in the Mercy Hospital on August 24, 1927 and she continued to reside here throughout her life.
In 1949 she was married to Charles Fount Ray who survives her. She was preceded in death by her parents, Rufus G. Ransome and Kathryn Eidman Ransome. She is survived by her three sons: Charles F. Sandy Ray, Jr. Karen, Marshall R. Ray Mary Lou and Terry A. Ray Laurie, all of Brownsville. There are seven surviving grandchildren: Jessica Lynn Cuevas Jason, Bryan, Siobhan, Jeffrey, Johanna, Leslie and Jordan Ray all of Brownsville, and one greatgranddaughter, Anneliese Cuevas. Also surviving are her brother, Rufus G. Ransome, Jr. Jeanine, of Brownsville, a niece, Kathryn R. Traynor Frank of Houston, and two nephews: Charles W. Ransome Melinda, of Houston, and Michael Ransome Denise, of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Upon graduation from Brownsville High School in 1944 she was awarded the coveted Leslie Sills Award as the outstanding graduate. She attended Randolph Macon Womens College in Lynchburg, Virginia, for two years before transferring to and graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, She was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
Although frequently referring to herself as a bon bon eater the facts are that she was intensely interested and involved in many things in her community. While raising and giving guidance to her sons she was always involved in their activities. She was very active at the Episcopal Day School which her sons and all of her grandchildren attended. She served on the school board and was its President when the present Coria Street school was started. She supported her sons in sports and was active in both the North Brownsville and West Brownsville Little Leagues. She loved being with her family and enjoyed untold numbers of excursions to the outdoors on hunting, fishing, crabbing and camping trips.
A devout Episcopalian, she was the first woman named to serve as Senior Warden of the Church of the Advent in Brownsville. She served as cochairman, with her husband, of two Diocesan Councils and was one of the first women elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the Diocese of West Texas. She enjoyed membership in a number of community and social organizations. She served as President of the Brownsville Junior Service League and continued thereafter as Sustaining Member.
A few months after it opened, she became a member of the Board of Directors of the Gladys Porter Zoo and throughout the years of its existence served in almost every capacity. She served as President of the Zoo Board and was honored to be named as one of its first Life Directors. She was cochairman of the first funds drive of the Valley Zoological Endowment and served as one of its officers and trustees for many years.
Perhaps as a result of many vacation trips to Mexico, Central and South America, she developed an intense interest in the indigenous costumes of those areas and began to collect many. She became a member of the Pan American Round Table I of Brownsville in 1960 and helped plan and directed the building of its Costumes of the Americas Museum to display and preserve their extensive costume collection. She served as its first President.
Serving as her pallbearers will be Charles W. Ransome, Danny Loff, Ivan Welker, Wesley Reed, Carlos Barrera, and Jim Tipton. Named as honorary pallbearers are Rufus G. Ransome, Jr., members of the Pan American Round Table I and Costumes of the Americas Museum as well as members of the Gladys Porter Zoo Board and the Valley Zoological Society.
Memorial services will be held at 4 p.m., Thursday, May 27, 2010 at the Church of the Advent, Brownsville. The family suggests memorials may be sent to Gladys Porter Zoo, 500 Ringgold Street, Espiscopal Day School, 34 N. Coria, both of Brownsville, Texas 78520, or to the Costumes of the Americas Museum at P. O. Box 3790, Brownsville, Texas 78523.

Visitation

DarlingMouser Funeral Home
945 Palm Blvd.
Brownsville, TX  78520
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
5 to 8p.m.

Service

Memorial

Church of the Advent Episcopal
104 W. Elizabeth
Brownsville, TX  78520
Thursday, May 27, 2010
4 p.m.

Memorial Contributions

500 Ringgold St.
Brownsville, TX  78520


34 N. Coria St.
Brownsville, TX  78520


P.O. Box 3790
Brownsvill, TX  78523