CAROLE ANN RAY (MARTIN)

91 Years Old   Westlake, Ohio

Born July 6, 1934   Passed July 2, 2026

Momma, as she was Lovingly referred to, was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Earl E Ray, Lovingly known as Pappa, in January of 2020.

They created a Loving family of 7 children, 17 Grandchildren, 13 Great Children and 6 Great Great Grand Children.

Momma lived life with her RULES, starting in middle school when she added the "E" to her birth name, spelled Carol. She wanted to stand out and was known from that time on as Carol with an "E".  She married the Love of her Life twice, once on March 9, 1954 by JOP then again on July 17, 1954, that was the last time she gave into norms agreeing to remarry in church.  She was born in 1934 but was fiercely independent longing for a career that very few women were allowed at that time. She became a wife and mother and took those roles very seriously but always kept the urge to work outside the home.  She got her chance when her youngest started kindergarten giving her freedom to explore.  Momma started at Gold Circle in the fabric department and worked her way in to the position of "City Shopper". That required her to travel to different locations around town comparing prices at competitors, a perfect position for her.  During these years as her family of Grandchildren grew, they have memories of going to Momma's to bake pies the day before Thanksgiving, allowing them to feel like an important part in the gathering.  For Christmas she would have the Grandkids over to make gifts for their parents, again making sure they were included.  Momma took up crocheting and for a while everybody had Momma Slippers, then as her skills improved it was crocheted blankets.  Never staying satisfied in one place, she then moved on to sewing quilts and we all received one of Momma Quilts. That was ok for winter, but her summers were used to find the Perfect Spam recipe to compete in the Spam contest at the Cuyahoga County Fair.  The year she won was the pinnacle of her Spam career, she was on TV and basked in the glory of Spam Queen.  She also entered samples of her crochet work at the fair and always earned ribbons.  When she retired, she fulfilled the prophecy we were continually told as children that when they retired, we would never know where they were because they would be hitting the highways with a truck and trailer and that is exactly what they did.  They traveled 9 months out of each year, coming home for summers to visit.  They reached their goal of visiting all 48 lower states, Hawaii and Alaska, which is a little difficult to reach by truck, the only reason they didn't get all 50.  They traveled for 20 years proudly sharing their adventures and pictures with us each summer when they returned.  They slowed down in the later years, first spending lots of time in Vegas, Momma loved those penny machines, then at the end they spent all their away time in Florida.  When the time came to hang up the truck keys, Momma turned her attention to carrying for her beloved until his passing.  Momma later moved into Concord Reserve where she gave the staff laughs and love every day.   Everybody knew Carol with an "E" and would get a big smile and a laugh whenever they saw her.  She made it her goal to make sure there was never a dull moment, and everybody was on their toes. She was famous for her chocolate addiction and shared her candy with anybody walking by.  Momma had bird feeders outside her window that not only fed the birds, which she loved, but the local deer found their way to the feeders as well, igniting her memories of nightly walks with her buddy Katie to feed the deer in their neighborhood.  Someone once called the police reporting Momma and Katie for feeding the deer which encouraged them to feed them more.  Momma was unstoppable, never lacked an opinion, a laugh, a cry, or whatever you may have needed at a given moment.  She was a trail blazer, a women born during a time that women with her goals were frowned upon and held back, but they had not met Carol with a "E" yet and she set them straight.  She lived her life on her terms showing her Daughters and Granddaughters the path to living life on their terms and her Sons and Grandsons how to appreciate and survive living with independent women.  Momma left the world the same way she lived, on her terms.  She now sits hand in hand with her Pappa for eternity.  This is but a short glimpse into a life full of ups, downs, love, family, laughter and  travel.  Mommas father, Grandpa Martin, never said goodbye, he just said "See ya Later" So It Is…..