James Ray

James Richard "Jimbo" Ray, 81, of Grants Pass died Friday, Jan. 22, 2010, at his home. Visitation will be held Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Stephens Family Chapel. Services will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Stephens Family Chapel. Burial will follow at 1 p.m. at Eagle Point National Cemetery. One of 11 children, he was born Dec. 4, 1928, in Minneapolis, Minn., to Emil and Esther Hannah Ray. During the Korean War, he served in the transportation department in the Fifth Army. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the Bronze Service Star, the U.N. Service Medal and the Purple Heart. In the 1960s, he moved to San Diego from Minneapolis and worked as a salesman. In 1980, he moved to Whittier, Calif., where he worked as an 18-wheeler truck driver and was later self-employed in the trucking business. Twenty years ago, he married his wife, Ginger, who survives. They lived in La Habra, Calif., for 13 years and moved to Grants Pass in June 2001. He enjoyed spending time with his family, listening to Christian music, watching the Glenn Beck TV program, and his church family at New Song Christian Fellowship. In addition to his wife, survivors include a daughter, Renee Withsosky of San Diego; a son, Brian J. Ray of San Luis Obispo, Calif.; three stepsons, Ronald Bell of O'Brien, Gary Bell of Grants Pass and Randy Bell of San Jacinto, Calif.; four sisters, Dorothy Satter and Lucille Mund, both of Hemet, Calif., Margaret Hager of Prescott, Ariz., and Ruthie Fredrickson of Minnesota; three brothers, Cliff E. Ray of Norwalk, Calif., Paul Ray of Montclair, Calif., and David Ray of Minneapolis, Minn.; two grandchildren, 12 stepgrandchildren and 18 stepgreat-grandchildren.