Soon after graduation from San Marcos High School in 1957, Charles Ray began his lifelong career in highway construction at the age of 18. At the age of 22, Charles Ray married June Gunn and began their 60 years of marriage together that included children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Charles Ray was also honored to serve in the Army National Guard as a young man.

Checking on road construction projects, cows, horses, attending big family gatherings, and sharing stories about life in general was a big part of his daily activities. On any given day of the week, you could find him in places such as Pac-N-Sac in Martindale, City Market in Luling, Bon Ton in LaGrange, and many other locations across the area having breakfast or lunch with his friends around a big table sharing stories or talking about their day. Along with his highway construction career, which was mostly with Dean Word Company where he became general superintendent, he also had a sideline business of cattle ranching, feeder calves, and feeder hogs.

“Paw Paw” and “Papa Worm” as he was fondly called by family, friends, and construction associates could not sit still for long. He enjoyed mentoring others in highway construction and ranching and made lifelong friends throughout central Texas. Regular family activities included Paw Paw with his wife, children, and grandchildren hauling hay, moving the cows, or shaking the bag of cubes off the tailgate of the truck to feed the cows and calves. In addition to business activities, he loved to fish and hunt, and his grandsons are actively following in his footsteps doing the same.

Charles Ray is survived by his wife June, daughter Beverly Lorenz and husband Scott all of San Marcos; son Ray Smith and wife Kelly of Lakeway; grandchildren Casey Shroyer and wife Leslie of San Marcos, Tory Blakemore and husband Brennen of Kyle; Rhett Smith of Houston; Kyle Ramage and wife Lillian of Leander; great-grandsons Baylen Blakemore of Kyle, and soon to be born Hayes Shroyer of San Marcos; and several nieces and nephews. Charles Ray was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Kenneth Smith.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice.

A memorial service will be held in the open-air Chapel at San Marcos Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 26, 2021.

Arrangements in care of Pennington Funeral Home, 323 N. Comanche, San Marcos, Texas 78666. 512-353-4311 ~ www.penningtonfuneralhome.com .