Janet Jackson Ray

Janet Ray, 88, of College Station, Texas, passed away on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in College Station.

Janet was born to Louis William and Charlotte May Van Horn Jackson, on December 8, 1936, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Growing up (and continuing in adulthood), she was affectionately known to her family as “Betcha”. She was known to her children and grandchildren as “Mom,” in special memory of her own beloved grandmother.

She graduated from Odessa High School in 1954 and then attended college at Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University). While at Texas Tech, she met her future husband, Eugene (“Gene”) Ray, and they were married in 1957. Janet and Gene were married for 65 years until his death in 2022. They originally lived in Lubbock, Texas, moving to nearby Levelland when Gene graduated from Texas Tech in 1960.

Throughout her life, family was the most important thing in the world to her. She was a devoted wife to Gene, supporting him as he completed college and in his career as a landscape architect. She became a mother for the first time in 1959 and raised three children, while living in Lubbock and Levelland, Texas, Norman, Oklahoma, and College Station, Texas. She became a grandmother in 2002, with two new granddaughters, opening up a whole new chapter of family for her that she embraced with incredible joy. Her extended family of three sisters and many aunts, uncles, and cousins was especially important to her and always remained a priority in her life. Also, part of her extended family was a dear circle of friends in both Norman and College Station.

In September 1977, after 18 years as a stay-at-home mother raising a family, she re-entered the workforce, serving as the office manager of the Department of Modern Languages at Texas A&M University for almost 20 years, until her retirement in late 1996. This was a whole new world, precipitated by three kids on the road to college, but Janet embraced it and thrived.

Raised as a Presbyterian, as a teen she was a charter member of John Calvin Presbyterian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was later a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Norman, Oklahoma. When she and Gene moved to College Station, Texas, in 1973, she joined A&M United Methodist Church, which she regularly attended for over 50 years. When she retired, she volunteered in the church office.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gene Ray. She is survived by her three children, Randall and husband Victor Ray, Melissa Ray, and Douglas and wife Kimberly Ray; her five grandchildren whom she deeply loved and were her pride and joy, Hart, Edan, Jarrod, Tanner, and Ryder; sister, Ann Ramsey; and brother-in-law, Jerry Chapman. Her parents, Louis and Charlotte, also preceded her in death.

A memorial service for Janet will be held later this summer.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association to support research and cures for Alzheimer’s and dementia.