Marie D. Ray

Mrs. Marie D. (White) Ray, age 93, a lifelong Mohawk Valley resident, passed away peacefully on Monday afternoon, January 8, 2024, at the Foltsbrook Center in Herkimer.

Born on August 9, 1930, Marie was the last living child of Francis and Bessie (Wilder) White. She was raised and educated in Mohawk, graduating with the Mohawk High School Class of 1949.

In October of 1951, Marie was married to the late Robert Ray and together they shared in a blessed and devoted union of almost forty years until Robert’s passing in 1990. For many years, Marie was employed as an Inspector with Duofold in Ilion.

Although she never had children of her own, Marie was a constant in the lives of her nieces and nephews and shared a particularly close bond with the family of her late sister, Betty Rathbun. For many years, Marie and her sister, Betty, ran the Bingo events at the Herkimer ARC and even received recognition for their many hours of volunteer work for that organization.

Together as a family, they enjoyed Saturday night dinners and travelling to places such as Hawaii, Atlantic City, Seaside Heights, Wildwood, Florida, Myrtle Beach and especially New York City; it was here that Marie would go on girls trips with her sisters, Betty and Nancy, and her nieces, Susie and Marianne. Her very favorite family vacations, however, were those spent on the Jersey Shore where Marie would bask in the sun beside the ocean.

Marie was a bubbly, feisty and spunky woman who had an endless bound of energy and a zest for life. In her younger years, she was a devoted Girl Scout troop leader and in the wintertime, loved riding on snowmobiles. Marie had no qualms about being the center of attention and her sense of humor and contagious grin will be missed by those she leaves behind.

She is survived by her special brother-in-law, John Rathbun, and a host of nieces and nephews, with particular mention of Susan and Robert Streeter of Ilion, Marianne and Al Miller of Jordanville, Robert and Janice Rathbun of Schuyler and James Rathbun of Ilion, and their families.

She was predeceased by her husband, parents and all eight of her siblings, Robert White, Frances Bunn, Ellen Lowell, James White, Bernard White, Betty Rathbun, Nancy Eysaman and John White.

Marie’s family will gather in a graveside committal service in the spring of 2024 where Marie will be laid to rest with her husband in Mt. View Memorial Gardens in Little Falls.

Her final arrangements have been entrusted to the Enea & Ciaccia Family Funeral Home, 4309 Acme Road, Town of Frankfort, Ilion, NY (315) 894-8000, Enea, Ciaccia & Applegate, Funeral Directors. Online notes of sympathy may be left at www.eneafamily.com .