Earl Wayne Ray

Earl Wayne Ray, 77, of Columbia passed away surrounded by his family Friday, July 21, 2023, at Boone Hospital Center.

Visitation for Earl will be held at Howard Funeral Home (1397 W. Ashley Road, Boonville, MO, 65233) Wednesday, July 26, 2023, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Recitation of the rosary will begin at 4:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, July 27, 2023, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Columbia. A burial will follow in the Old Lamine Cemetery.

Earl Wayne Ray was born September 22, 1945, in Boonville, Missouri, the son of Ernest “Fuzzy” and Doris (Poindexter) Ray. Earl graduated from Pilot Grove High School in 1963. After high school he was drafted for the Army in 1965 and deployed to Vietnam from 1966 to 1967, where he proudly served his country and received National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Expert (Rifle M-16), Vietnam Service Medal, Combat Infantry Man

Badge, Good Conduct Medal, and Expert (Pistol .45).  Earl then married the love of his life Margie Reuter April 27, 1968, in Pilot Grove. Earl farmed in his local community before he and Margie moved to Columbia in 1979. He went to work for MFA Incorporated where he could continue to be a part of and serve the farming community. He retired in 2009 after 29 years of service. Earl was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. In his younger years Earl loved tractor pulling with his buddies and racing Go-karts.  Later in life he fell in love with fishing, hunting, toy tractor collecting and enjoyed every minute spent with his grandkids.

Earl is preceded in death by his parents Ernest “Fuzzy” and Doris Ray and brother Jim Ray. He is survived by his wife Margie Ray, son Jon Ray and daughter Stacey (Hank) Goen all of Columbia, Missouri, and grandchildren Andrew, AJ, and Catie Ray, Holly and Jessie Goen, and sister-in-law. Bonnie Ray.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Central Missouri Honor Flight or MFA Foundation. 

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