Laura Ray

Laura Mary Mathews Ray, 87, of Idaho Falls, passed away August 22, 2018, at her home. She was under the care of Hands of Hope Home Health & Hospice. Laura was born December 8, 1930, in Los Angeles, California, to Marshall Steel Mathews and Rethlyn Schow Mathews. She grew up and attended schools in Cowley, Wyoming. She also attended nursing school at Riverview Hospital in Idaho Falls. On October 28, 1952, she married Thomas Lloyd Ray Jr. in Idaho Falls. To this union were born six children. Laura and Lloyd made their home in Idaho Falls, where Laura worked as a nurse. Her skills as a nurse were highly respected and she was sought after for her gifts to the nursing field. She was selected to start up the Intensive Care Unit as well as the Nursery Intensive Care Unit at Parkview and Riverview Hospitals. She was later a nurse for 15 years at the INL. In her later years, she worked for ten years at Walmart, retiring in 2016. Laura was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was very involved in the church and served in Primary, Relief Society, and sang in the choir. Family has always been very important to Laura. She was at every grandchild’s birth and was always one of the first to hold them. She also enjoyed reading, gardening, quilting, and sewing. Laura is survived by her daughter, Lalani Ray of Idaho Falls, ID; son, Michael (Katrina) Ray of Rigby, ID; daughter, Cynthia Ray of Idaho Falls, ID; son, Donald (LuAnn, deceased) Ray, of Idaho Falls, ID; son, Kenneth (Jill) Ray of Idaho Falls, ID; son, Thomas (Sherry) Ray of Idaho Falls, ID; 10 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd Ray, Jr.; her parents, Marshall and Rethlyn Mathews; and three sisters, Karla, Nellie, and Ramona. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, August 27, 2018, at the Idaho Falls LDS 21st Ward, 1155 East First Street, with Bishop Robert Pettit officiating. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Wood Funeral Home, 273 N. Ridge Avenue, and Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. prior to services at the church. Burial will be in the Ucon Cemetery.

Funeral Services will be held