Ann Elizabeth Ray

Ann Elizabeth Belding Ray, age 82, passed on September 16, 2025, in Weatherford, Texas. She was the wife of Robert L. Ray, Sr., and they shared 58 years of marriage together.

Born in Charleston, South Carolina and raised in Leesburg, Florida, she was the daughter of William Jasper Belding and Leah Olive Taylor. She spent most of her days at the beach, enjoying the sand, sun and water. She attended Central Florida Junior College and the University of South Florida. She was employed as a social worker and later began a teaching career.

After starting her teaching career at South Sumter High School, she met and fell in love with an Agricultural Science teacher from Texas. Several years later, he convinced her to take a short trip to Texas. That short trip became a 58 year marriage made complete with four children and nine grandchildren. After retiring from teaching, she gladly traded her role as Mrs. Ray for her new life as Nanny.

Over the next twenty five years, she embraced every moment with her grandchildren from birthday parties, to soccer games, countless trips to McDonald's for chicken nuggets and M&M McFlurries, and lots of scrambled eggs at the picnic table. Backyard fun, tea parties, singing songs, and car trips to wherever they wanted were especially treasured.

She was a member of the Graford United Methodist Church. She enjoyed preparing breakfast for the congregation, singing hymns, decorating for the holidays, and teaching Sunday school. Over the years, the second pew was where you could find her every Sunday morning. Every Monday, she enjoyed bible study with her church family.

In her spare time, between four kids and nine grandkids, she loved feeding her birds, watering all her plants, and spending time outside in her yard.

She is survived by her husband Robert L. Ray, Sr., and children LeAnn Crader, Leah Kester (Bryan Kester), Erica Ledbetter (Clint Ledbetter), and grandchildren Robert, Walter, Harris, Maggie, Madden, Abi, Emma, Nate, and Noah. Her loving brothers and sisters, Billy Belding, Ronald Belding, Kathleen Stewart, and Patricia Belding Poe. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Robert Belding, brother and sister- in- law Rudy and Shirley Ray along with her nieces, Nicole Ray and Shawnta Keener, and son-in-law Jack Crader.

The Memorial Service will be held on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 10:00 am, at the First United Methodist Church in Graford, Texas.