Graveside Friday for Carol Jean Ray

Graveside services for Carol Jean (Hodge) Ray, a lifelong Atoka, OK resident, will be held Friday, January 25, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at Green Meadows Cemetery in Atoka with Bro. Joe Chap-in and Bro. Jeremy Parham officiating. Visitation is Thursday evening 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Brown’s Funeral Service of Atoka is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Ray was born November 2, 1935 to Delbert and Idee Bell (Yandell) Hodge in Holdenville, OK and passed away January 19, 2019 in Coalgate, OK at the age of 83 years, 2 months and 17 days. She attended Harmony Elementary School, graduated from Atoka High School in 1954 and then attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University where she received a teaching degree . Mrs. Ray taught first grade at Thunderbird Elementary and Mamie Johnson Elementary in Atoka. Her greatest joys in life were her many first grade students; she believed that God blessed her every year with 20-25 first graders she called her own. She married Richard “Doc” Brinkley and together they taught in Oregon and Idaho. Carol returned to Oklahoma after his passing. On July 19, 1968 she married Oliver “OP” Perry Ray in Atoka, OK. She was a longtime member of Caney Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Atoka. Carol worked very hard supporting the Atoka Alumni Association. She enjoyed working in her yard. Her flower gardens were beautiful and her yard earned the designation of an Oklahoma wildlife backyard. She loved seeing God’s beauty in nature.

Survivors include a brother, Jim Hodge and wife Ginger of Lake Ten-killer, OK; uncle, Kenneth J. (Toodie) Yandell of Durant, OK; cousin, Linda ( Yandell, Jackson, Spradley) and husband Terry and many other Yandell cousins; sister-in-law, Sue Hilton of Atoka, OK; nieces and nephews, Pennie Hodge Kaven and husband of Durant, Ben Hodge of Utah, David Ray and wife Janet of Atoka, Valerie Ray of Washington State, Beverly Ray Cochran and husband Scott of Atoka, and Jan Corbin and husband Bill of Gladewater, TX; very special cousin, Kim “Carol” Dale and husband Dwayne of Atoka; all the “Carols”, Linda Carol, Kimberley “Kim” Carol, Kaylee Carol, Krimsyn Carol and others along with numerous in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, relatives and many dear and loved friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Delbert and Idee Bell (Yandell) Hodge; husbands, Doc Brinkley and “OP” Perry Ray; and sister-in-law, Celtia Hodge.

Casketbearers will be Dwayne Dale, Dillon Cochran, Dustin Cochran, Jeff Ray, David Hauff and Lynn Wallis. Honorary bearers will be Atoka Maroon and Gold Alumni Association Members.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Ruth Wilson Hurley Manor Carol Ray Memorial Fund at 7 N. Covington St. Coalgate, OK 74538.

Condolences may be sent to the family by email to: browns@atoka.net. Please reference the name of the deceased in your correspondence.