Obituary: Wanda June Ray May

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Sep 10, 2004

1928 ~ 2004

Wanda June Ray arrived in this life on February 10, 1928 at her home in Long Beach, California to Susan Bell McMullin and Lewis Franklin Ray.

On August 28, 2004, she passed into the next world suddenly of a heart attack just before visiting the beautiful gardens of Doi Tung near Chiangrai, Thailand. She was traveling with her husband, daughter, and their party.

At 76, during this trip she stood next to a 6' long Komodo dragon, snorkeled in Bali, swam in Indonesian seas, played with a Cambodian monkey sitting on her shoulder, took a river trip in long tail boats to see the long necked women of the Padang tribe near the Golden Triangle and rode an elephant. The past few years she and her husband have traveled extensively through the U.S. and to the Fiji Islands, Scotland, England, Dominica, Mexico, and Central America.

Raised in rural Southern Utah, Wanda had fond memories of her young life and family growing up in Tropic, Utah. She was a descendent of tough Pioneer stock learning to be decent, strong, independent, and helpful. She excelled in school and taught her children to love learning. As a young woman, she was elected as royalty in the Brigham City Peach Days and attended LDS Business College where she lived in the Lion House in downtown Salt Lake City. She enjoyed telling of sitting in William Bell's (her great grandfather) beautiful hand constructed chairs that he made for Brigham Young at the Lion House.

She met her husband, Willis E. Dale, during a summer working at Yellowstone. They raised three daughters, Shannon Dale Miller (husband James J. Miller) Laurie Dale, Robin Dale D'Eustachio, and (husband Steve D'Eustachio). They divorced after 23 years.

She married Joseph May in 1975. She enjoyed a successful career and was respected for her approach to problem solving, fine execution of tasks and follow through all while helping her daughters make prom dresses, attend music lessons, try out for cheerleader and nurse their egos when they failed. Wanda retired from Hill AFB as a GS-11. She and her dear husband of 29 years, Joe, wintered in Arizona and Mesquite Nevada, and spent the summers in Layton, Utah and in Evanston, WY.

Wanda heartily loved her three grown stepchildren and their spouses; Dale and Connie May, (Layton) Gale and Steve Alters, (Boise) and Wally May, (Clearfield), 15 grandchildren, and five great- grandchildren.

Wanda was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and through the years appreciated her associations in the church, especially her Relief Society visiting teachers and home teachers.

Wanda stayed physically fit in her later years by swimming frequently, pursued creativity with cooking, gardening, sewing, interior decorating, and with fabulous intricate quilts made for each graduating grandchild. Wanda kept her mind active with reading, playing bridge, and enjoying many friends. In her mothering and her life, she valued patience, benevolence, and moderation. Wanda welcomed change with good humor and celebrated the diversity of life wanting to drink it in until the last moment. We are so appreciative of her guidance in our lives, her quick passing and thank God for giving us our mother, wife, aunt, sister, and friend.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to purchase a portable defibrillator for the Maesai Hospital in Maesai, Chaiangrai, Thailand for the staff who so valiantly tried to save her life.

Memorial services will be held Saturday Sept. 11, 2004. The family will receive guests at 9:30 a.m. in the Relief Society room and services will begin at 10 a.m. Take exit 335 in Layton going east to the LDS Stake Center, 590 W. 2000 N., Layton, UT. Friends and family are welcome.