Mendon “Tom” Ray
Mendon “Tom” Ray of Joplin MO born 7/4/1937 died peacefully Saturday 3/7/2026, age 88 years at 8:30 am holding hands with the love of his life Bertha Jo (Wright) Ray.
Mendon was born in Lebanon OK to Otto Ray and Nellie Vora (Goodwin, McCoy) Ray. Mendon was the last of his 14 siblings to be called home for eternal rest. He was raised in Southeastern OK, lived in fifteen different homes as his family share cropped for a living. Called “Tom” and “Red” by his family and dear friends he was quick to help people in any way he could for example, building out a vintage Route 66 Motel into one bedroom apartments with living rooms and individual carports so he could address the need for HUD housing in Webb City MO. It was not unusual to find Tom reroofing a family’s home or garage, or installing windows to improve quality of life for the family as he worked with ease. He was also big on buying at garage sales to simply help out the families in the area.
Mendon had a diverse career life from farmer boy driving family produce from southern OK to Oklahoma City at age 14 to market their homegrown watermelons, to professional trucker doing OTR hauling to FL and CA. He was a carpenter trained in KS, Master carpenter in CA, owner of Golden Hammers Construction Co and co-owner of Ray Rentals in Joplin MO. He rehabilitated approximately fourteen homes after his retirement throughout Webb City, Carterville, Carthage, & Joplin restoring vintage homes and communities one home at a time. While in CA he worked for many high profile folks including Zza Zza Gabor, Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke, Dana Hill and the Directors at HISK and Film Fair. His work for Director Stu Hagman was published in Beautiful Home magazine in 1988 and HOME magazine in 1991, sadly sans credit for the work but honored to be published for the quality of his work nonetheless. Mendon personally built three homes from the ground up with limited help and finished them within three months, all of them for his dear wife Jo and kids to enjoy and live in for most of our lives together. He was an exceptionally gifted, artistic, visionary, provider, and we thank him for his full measure of contribution to our lives.
Mendon loved to fish and hunt with his brothers and would meet them in Colorado to hunt in the fall and at Lake Texoma in summer to fish. We traveled every year from CA to TX, OK, & MO to make sure he taught his children how important family is and the sacrifices we make are worth the effort, so we learned to know and love both sides of our family heritage. Family was Mendon’s treasure and his focus. He was determined to provide not only for his nuclear family but his extended families, not only their needs but their wishes as well.
Tom married Bertha Jo Wright February 15, 1958 and welcomed his first born Deanna Michelle Ray April 1959, and adopted son Thomas Joseph Ray December 1966 to complete his family. Tom and Jo celebrated their 68th Anniversary Feb 2026!!!
Mendon is preceded in death by all of his siblings, parents and grandparents.
Grandparents : Silas R. Ray and Malinda Elizabeth(Hunt, Bannister,Muncrief) of Queen AK : John William Goodwin and Eva Maude (Howard) of Madill OK
Parents : Otto Ray and Nellie Vora (Goodwin, McCoy) of Lebanon OK
Siblings Otto’s children with Isabel (Cobb) : Audrey (Ray) Anderson of OK : Charles Travis Ray of Tulsa OK :Lois (Ray) Coe of OK :Marvin Ray of Kingfisher OK
Nellie’s children with Mack Dore McCoy :Avie “Lorene” (McCoy) Orsack of Ardmore OK : Lucille “Dovie” (McCoy) Roberts of TX :Rachel McCoy – died as toddler of Madill OK :Mackie Jewel “Sug” McCoy of Ardmore OK :Howard Daniel “Little Son” McCoy of Lebanon OK (Twin) :Hurl David “Big Son” McCoy of Lockney TX (Twin) Norma Lee “Dinky” (McCoy) Ammann of Ardmore OK Otto and Nellie’s children :Mendon “Tom” Ray of Joplin Mo :Haskell “Thomas” Ray of Weldon CA
Mendon precedes his : wife Bertha Jo Ray of Joplin MO : Daughter Deanna Michelle (Ray) Brix & spouse Tim Brix of Chehalis WA :Grandchildren- Bailey Brix of Auburn WA – Caleb Brix of Edmonds WA :Great Grandchildren- Nolan Brix & Elijah Brix of Edmonds WA :Son Thomas Joseph Ray & spouse Sharin (Williamson) Ray of Joplin MO :Grandchildren- Marc Ray -Rose Ray -Wolfgang Ray -Sebastian Ray
Memorial Service for Mendon Ray will be May 15th 2026 at 1pm
Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church
2423 W. 26th St, Joplin, MO 64804
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Reception to follow at the family home with meal and dessert to honor Mendon’s routine.
The family requests you to send us any stories, and, or photos of your experiences with Tom so we may share the joy he brought to us all.
We welcome any recipes you may have that reflect the good old southern lifestyle from 1937- 2026, so that we can continue to remember Tom’s lifetime via the food we share with generations to come.
We invite you to join us in remembrance and celebration of a great man who walked his path with determination, purpose and a tender heart.
Your love and support bolsters and encourages us in this challenging time.
We hope to see you soon, meanwhile Walk in Beauty.
Cremation Arrangements are under the personal and direct care of Ozark Memorial Park Crematory of Joplin, Mo
