Steven Eugene Wray

Steven Eugene Wray, 69, passed away peacefully at home on March 5, 2026, after a year-and-a-half battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his loving family and friends.

Steve was born on March 5, 1957, in Troy, Ohio, the son of John W. Wray Jr. and Janet Workman Wray. After high school, he joined his father in selling blueprint supplies and servicing machines. His brother and sister later joined the business, and together they operated it successfully until selling it in 2008.

In 1981, he married Loretta Snyder, and together they raised two children. In 2009, Steve and Loretta moved to Indiana to be closer to their grandchildren. There, Steve became the director of a retirement home in New Castle, where he enjoyed getting to know the residents and became known for his daily jokes.

Steve had a wide variety of hobbies over the years, including photography, riding motocross bikes, and flying RC airplanes. He possessed a natural talent for understanding how things worked and was often called upon by friends and family to fix or figure things out. He and Loretta lived in an old farmhouse in the country, where his skills were put to good use. In 2020, he retired, and they moved to Brown County, where they enjoyed the beautiful scenery for five years. Steve loved working in the garage with his grandchildren, teaching them woodworking skills and eagerly exploring their interests, from building a small foundry to catching fireflies.

His faith in God was the foundation of his life, and their church families were deeply important to both him and Loretta. Whether fixing something in the garage, teaching a new skill, or chasing fireflies with his grandchildren, Steve found joy in life’s simple moments and shared that joy with everyone around him.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Loretta; son, Danny (Sam); daughter, Megan (Dustin); grandchildren, Jaedon, Micah, Eli, Story, and Charlotte; brother, Mark (Tanya); sister, Joy (Mike); and several nieces and nephews.