In Memoriam : Lu Ray

Lu Ellen Ray - age: 82
(March 11, 1942 to February 07, 2025 )
Resident of Woodlake, California

Visitation Information:
No Service

Obituary:
Lu Ellen was born in Vernal, Utah on March 11, 1942 to Cuba and Charles Wendell Atwood. She is survived by her three children (Brenda; husband Fred, Chuck; wife Mickie, and Kirk; wife Sandie). Her sister, Sherry Townsend. Ten grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren. She loved her awesome grandkids. She went by Grandma, GG, and G-Ma!!!
Lu and her family lived in several cities/states: St. Helens, Oregon in 1947; Tipton, CA in 1954; Ivanhoe, CA in 1956; and Woodlake, CA in 1960. At the first annual banquet of the Columbia County Jersey Cattle Club, she was the entertainment. She performed a tap dance number, as one of the summer's St Helens, Oregon, talent show winners. Lu’s tap dance photos were also laterused for advertising by the dance studio.
She attended and graduated from Woodlake High School. She was the counseling secretary of the school and the 1960 winner of the Bank of America Award in the commercial field. Her other
activities included four years in GAA (Girls Athletic Assoc.) and 2 years in Girls Block W. Her major was secretarial and general business. After graduating, she continued working in the area of business in the city of Visalia.
Lu met the love of her life (Audie Ray) in Woodlake. The couple married on March 2, 1960 and started their family soon after. The two began to make a life with their children. They built their second home from the ground up. Lu was right there every step of the way. Lu and her husband had a dream to build their financial security through real estate. Through hard work and dedication, they were able to make that dream a reality. She was a member of the Woodlake Lady Lions Club for many years, serving in all officer seats. Her and her daughter, Brenda, along with other members/friends and family worked side by side at the Annual Lions Rodeo. Which helped benefit the community by raising funds for the Lions Club and Lady Lions Club. In 1981, she was honored as “Woodlake Woman of the Year”. Which meant a lot to Lu, as she loved the community of Woodlake. They moved from Woodlake to Elderwood, CA for country life. Purchasing a ranch house with avocados and pomegranate trees. Additionally, the ranch had several fish ponds. Some days you would see Lu out by the ponds helping men bait their hooks. Just so they could try and catch one of the large catfish that swam in the pond. She would get right out there and help them land one. Some days she liked to sit out on the patio and enjoy the view, while smoking her cigarette. Lu liked to play cards with family and friends. Canasta, Tripoly, and Blackjack were among her favorite card games. She enjoyed going to the casinos, where she would play blackjack or slots.
She also loved to attend the kids and grandkids sports. From football games, where you hear the cow bell she rang as she cheered at the games. Boy she would ring that bell!!! To volleyball games, to baseball games, she watched and cheered her family on.
In 2005, her husband was diagnosed with cancer. Lu then became a caregiver. She never wavered from preparing his medications, to making his doctors appointments. From his bone marrow transplant to dementia, she stood by his side. He passed in 2019. Lu continued to be strong for her family, although she was filled with grief.
Lu absolutely loved camping with her family. There were many trips to Utah and parks for camping, hunting, and fishing. She loved it when Audie would drive her up to the Sequoia National Park. He would set the camper down for her, help her set up camp, stay a few days there himself, then leave her there for a week or two by herself. She enjoyed that time by reading her novels, fishing in the stream, campfires, and taking in nature. Of course, us kids would drive up and stay a day or so. We’re not so sure, but we think she didn’t mind losing some of her quiet time. Just like in Utah, there were many stories told by all around the campfire, some stories were told over and over. She loved that though. Seeing her kids enjoy each other's company while camping just made her day.
Oh now, let’s not forget....when she would point her well manicured index figure at you. You were either in Trouble or about to make some Trouble and she called you out on it. We all miss the woman we knew and loved. We know she is resting in peace.