Carolyn Russell Ray

Carolyn Russell Ray was born in Camden, Arkansas, on January 24, 1943, and departed this world to be with Jesus on Friday, January 30, 2026, after a sudden illness.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Willard Russell and Louise Virginia Russell, as well as her older brother, Robert “Bob” Willard Russell, Jr., and his wife, Virginia. She was also preceded in death by her beloved husband, Thomas Ray.

Carolyn is survived by daughter, Barbara Bland and husband, Cliff Bland; son, Richard Ray and wife, Sonja Ray; nephews, Greg Russell of Bentonville, Arkansas, and Jeff Russell of El Dorado, Arkansas. Known in her family as Gammy, her determined nature and independent spirit lives on in her grandchildren, Lauren Christiana and husband, Tyler, Dr. Kaitlyn Rogers and husband, Richard, Landry Ray, Jackson Ray, and Cooper Ray, as well as her great-grandchildren, Cameron Christiana and Madelyn Christiana. Carolyn is also survived by her lifelong friend, Brenda Lowe, and husband, Gene. Even though separated by many miles, Brenda and Carolyn’s bond endured, strong, steady, and unbreakable.

After marrying her Camden High School sweetheart, Tommy Ray, Carolyn embraced the role of homemaker, devoting herself to supporting her husband and raising their children in a Christ-centered home. Tom was recruited and commissioned as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the family often relocated to wherever the FBI decided to send them. First, they went to the faraway land of Northern California. Early 1970s San Francisco was vastly different from small-town Camden. But in just a few short years, they were able to move back closer to home. First to Alexandria, then Bossier City, Louisiana. Never one to shrink from a challenge, in the 1980s Carolyn also joined the ranks of federal public service, accepting a position in the United States Bankruptcy Court, where she served for ten years. Then, in 1990, Carolyn was devastated by the sudden loss of her husband, Tom.

For the remainder of her life, Carolyn embraced the role of widow and devoted herself to the active support of her friends and family, including her church family at First Baptist Bossier, where she faithfully led an adult singles Sunday School class for more than 30 years. Carolyn was an active member of the Women’s Ministry and Diamond Set. Later in life, she was blessed to enjoy the love and companionship of Warren Hill, and the two were inseparable, attending church together and sharing home-cooked meals for many years until Warren’s death in 2013. In more recent years, Carolyn enjoyed spending time with her grandkids and caring for her cats Cam and Nicky. Other interests included Bingo with the “regulars” at the Bossier City Chick-fil-A and endeavoring to watch every single football game on TV (it did not matter the team). Carolyn also remained up to date in the realm of politics and world events through her vigilant and constant monitoring of cable news.

Carolyn was hospitalized with a sudden illness on December 2, 2025, and placed on a ventilator. While she fought valiantly to recover, it was not in God’s perfect plan. Carolyn was a woman of deep and abiding faith. Even though in her final weeks she could not speak, she shared the love and hope of Jesus with everyone she came into contact with. In the end, she was excited to be in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to be reunited with her loved ones, especially her precious husband Tom.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff in the MICU at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport and PAM Health Specialty Hospital Shreveport for their exceptional care during Carolyn’s final weeks.

Visitation will begin at 10:00 am on Thursday, February 5, 2026, in the Chapel at First Baptist Bossier with a Celebration of Life Service to follow at 11:00 am. A graveside service and burial in Memorial Park Cemetery in Camden, Arkansas, will follow at 3:00 pm the same day.

Serving as honorary pallbearers are Richard Auchard, Wayne Coburn, Tyler Christiana, Gene Lowe, Jim Johnson, Jackson Ray, Cooper Ray, Richard Rogers, Greg Russell, Jeff Russell, and Jim Perdue.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.