LaRoy Dean “Bud” Ray

LaRoy Dean “Bud” Ray was born in Wilburton, Oklahoma, on October 24, 1938, and passed peacefully on March 4, 2026. Raised in the rural town of Wilburton on his grandparents’ small farm, he later moved to Midwest City, Oklahoma, where he worked as a stock boy at the local grocery store and graduated from Midwest City High School. He was the first in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree, graduating from Oklahoma State University in 1961 with a major in business. Following graduation, he served in the United States Army and later the Army Reserves.

Bud met his wife, Catherine Carso Ray, in Shreveport while working for the Pillsbury Company. He advanced through several corporate roles with Top Value Stamp Corporation, relocating the family across five states in ten years. With Catherine’s support, he left corporate life and returned to Monroe, where together they opened the Cotton Patch in 1978, a clothing store known for its quality and personalized service. They later opened the Garden District Café, while Bud maintained his career as an independent sales representative for multiple grocery promotional companies. He was known for his boundless energy, genuine love of meeting people, and his gift for conversation and storytelling. Proud of his Cherokee heritage and his military service, he embraced his wife’s Italian roots, researching her family history and encouraging travel abroad. Above all, Bud remained grounded in his humble beginnings and will be remembered for his generosity, humor, and deep love of life.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harless Ray and Lorraine Moore Visser; his sister, Jean Smith; and his beloved maternal grandparents, Pete and Jenny Moore. Survivors include his wife, Catherine Carso Ray; daughter, Dr. Allyson Ray (Sara Roybal); sister, Nancy Geyer; and grandchildren, Cate and Jon.