BENTON — Pam Ray,
70, of Benton, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, November 20, 2021. She was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, on December 20, 1950. Pam grew up a Navy brat in southern California, mostly growing up in Imperial Beach where she graduated from Mar Vista High School in 1969. After high school, she got a business degree, entered the work force and married her partner for life, Darrell Ray. In 1981, while working as the payroll accountant for the Times Advocate Newspaper in Escondido, California, Pam was given her life-changing Scleroderma diagnosis. She quickly became more than just another employee as the newspaper published several articles chronicling her struggles with her newfound crippling auto-immune disease. She looked to the future bravely, choosing to fight her illness and help others do the same. She was a founding member of the first San Diego patient and family support group, holding its first meeting in her living room. That group still thrives today having raised millions of dollars for medical research.
After moving to Arkansas, she became the primary contact person for any new Scleroderma patient in the state. Pam helped set up support groups and regularly attended the national conferences of the Scleroderma Foundation, proudly sharing her decades of survival as inspiration for patients of a disease that can often take patients very quickly. In May of 2019, she dyed her hair that bright, unforgettable teal, the color for Scleroderma. This was her way of wearing her diagnosis as a badge of honor, she loved her teal hair.
In 1991, Pam and her husband, Darrell, retired to Benton, Arkansas. Retirement meant community service and charity to her. She attended and supported an endless number of charitable endeavors in the Saline County area. But her number one focus was Churches Joint Council on Human Needs, CJCOHN. She succeeded her mother, Barbara Atchison as the food director of the volunteer organization designed to help local people in need. Pam also coordinated the annual Christmas Basket Program and the Senior Supplement Program that delivered groceries to low income seniors once a month. Pam was a devout Christian and a member of the First Baptist Church in Benton. She loved her church and specifically the members of her Sunday school class. She was a proud Democrat and an outspoken progressive from the time she was a student in the 60’s through her final days. Pam famously loved the Beatles and was a loyal fan of the Padres, Chargers, and Razorbacks.
Pam was preceded in death by her parents, John Wade Moore and Barbara Grissom Moore Atchison, brother, John Moore, husband, Darrell Ray, “bonus grandchild”, Daniel Magnusson and many more dear friends and family. Pam is survived by her son, Randy Ray, daughter-in-law, Karen Ray and her beloved grandchildren, Lizby, Ellis, Becca, and Riley. Pam’s spirit will live on with them as they strive to live up to her legacy of selfless giving.
Memorial services by Ashby Funeral Home will be Tuesday, November 30, at 6 p.m., with Dr. Rick Grant officiating at Ashby Funeral Home. Donations may be made in Pam’s honor to CJCOHN of Benton. Online guestbook at: www.ashbyfuneralhome.