Baton Rouge, LA - Dr. Thomas Gerald Ray, Sr., 85, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at The Carpenter House of St. Joseph Hospice in Baton Rouge. He is survived by his three children, Thomas Gerald Ray, Jr., Allison "Cathy" Ray Novas, and Kimberly D. Schexnayder and her husband, Kris; as well as his grandchildren, Laurynn St. Germain, Grace Schexnayder, Ella Schexnayder, Ethan Schexnayder, Owen Schexnayder, and Jacob Novas. He is also survived by his sister, Bessie Prince. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 54 years, André Carolyn Whitaker Ray; his parents, William L. Ray and Mittie Richardson Ray; his sister, Dorothy Ray Richardson; his beloved aunt and uncle, Manley L. Washington and Margaret Richardson Washington, and his cousins who he loved like brothers, Gerald Washington and Johnny Washington. Born in Talihina, Oklahoma in 1940, Dr. Ray spent his young school years both there and in Arkansas with his parents and sisters. His father passed away in 1955. During his mother's battle with breast cancer, she and the children were taken in by his Uncle Wash and Aunt Margaret in Yazoo City, Mississippi. His mother died when he was 17. His aunt and uncle became parents to him, and their four sons, Manley, Eddie, Gerald and Johnny Washington were like brothers. At the age of 22, he met his future wife while he was stationed with the United States Army at Fort Gordon. They married in 1966, in Harlem, Georgia. Coming from a family of teachers, he always respected the value of a good education. He earned a bachelor's and master's degree from Mississippi State University and his PhD from Virginia Tech, all in industrial engineering. Dr. Ray then worked at Owens Corning and NASA's Stennis Space Center. He and Carolyn subsequently moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1970, where he accepted a position at LSU's Industrial Engineering Department as a full-time professor. He enrolled himself in the school's law program, spending a year at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and encouraged his wife to pursue her degree at LSU. He lent his expertise to business both locally and internationally as a consultant. In doing all this, he also found time to earn his contractor's license, building several homes in the Baton Rouge area. During this time, the family attended St. Paul Lutheran Church and then Christian Life Fellowship. Dr. Ray dreamed of owning his own business and had a particular interest in helping others make theirs successful. After finding a "for sale" flyer on the bulletin board at LSU, he secured a grant and became partner in a boat company, TideCraft, Inc., renaming it Sportco and securing contracts with entities such as Nissan. New adventures in the bass and ski boat industry moved the Ray family to Minden, Louisiana for five years, where they attended Living Word Worship Center. He returned to LSU in 1991, eventually becoming department chairman for both the industrial engineering and construction management departments. After retiring from LSU in 2009, he and Carolyn then enjoyed many years together, spending time with their children and grandchildren. He also enjoyed construction projects such as renovating condominiums and woodworking. He spent the last year at Sunrise/Glenncrest Assisted Living, where he made many friends. His family wishes to give their utmost appreciation to the staff at Sunrise/Glenncrest Assisted Living, the doctors, nurses, and staff at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and at The Carpenter House for their selfless care and loving kindness to Dr. Ray and his family. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Service at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge. A Visitation will be held at the funeral home beginning at 11:30 a.m. Interment, with honors from the United States Army, will follow at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 4, 2026, at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthavenbatonrouge.com