Raymond Ray, war veteran, football coach, insurance agent and a former member of the Vicksburg Bridge Commission died Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007, at his home in Vicksburg. He was 86.

Born in Evansville, Ind., and recruited to Mississippi to play football at Mississippi State, Ray was a member of the 1941 SEC champion team that went to the Orange Bowl that season.

He left school to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II, where he flew B-24 bombers based in Italy. He returned to school after the war in 1945 and finished his teaching degree.

Ray came to Vicksburg in 1947 and coached football at Vicksburg High School until 1950. He led the team to 23 wins during his tenure.

People and football were his lifelong passions, said Ray’s daughter, Ada Lauderdale.

“He could watch football 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” she said.

Jane Derivaux, wife of Jerry Derivaux who also had a State Farm Insurance agency in Vicksburg, agreed on Ray’s interests. His love for people even extended to those who didn’t share the language, she said.

“We went to Germany with him on a business trip and he was talking to a bunch of Japanese agents, and he didn’t miss a beat,” said Mrs. Derivaux,

Ray’s war experiences were recorded in recent months by Mississippi Public Broadcasting and he was one of two local residents whose comments were in a preview version of “Mississippi and The War” shown on MPB last week. A full version of the program is expected to air in 2008.

Lauderdale said the insurance industry can be difficult but her father handled it well. She worked in the business with her father and took over when he retired in 1989.

“If you like people, it’s no problem,” she said.

After Ray retired, he continued to work in various community organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Army-Navy Club.

“Everyone adored him,” said Lauderdale, even when he threw erasers at students who weren’t paying attention.

Ray was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where he was an elder.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the church with the Rev. Tim Erskine officiating. Visitation will be at Ward Hall from 12:30 until the hour of service.

In addition to his daughter, Ray is survived by his wife, Mary R. Ray, two other daughters; Linda Ray Sprenkle of Concord N.C., and Dina Alford Carlisle of Mountain Home, Ark.; a brother, Roy R. Ray of DeLand, Fla.; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 1501 Cherry St., Vicksburg, MS 39180.