Reverend Kenneth E Ray, Sr

Obituary Kenneth Eugene Ray, the fourth of eight children born to Matthew Raymond Ray and Lucille Hughes Ray was born October 10, 1932 in Kansas City, MO and raised in the tight-knit east side community of Leeds. He attended Dunbar Elementary School, R.T. Coles Jr High, and Lincoln High School, earning a diploma in 1949. He also studied business at Metropolitan Junior College, earning an associates degree. He was well known in Leeds, and showed leadership ability at an early age. An active member of Pilgrim’s Rest Baptist Church, he participated in all the available youth activities, and was baptized by Reverend F. D. Robinson, whom he fondly referred to as “my pastor.” Because he was charismatic and well spoken, “Geno,” as he was known by his family and close friends, was noticed and singled out by the mothers at Pilgrim’s Rest. “He’s going to be a preacher some day,” they predicted. They were right. At Pilgrim’s Rest he met Jo Ethel Flonnoy and they were married in 1951 while they were both teenagers. At 19 he became a father, with the birth of daughter Evelonne. Four other children: Regina, Kenneth Jr., Gregory, and Debra were born in a span of eight years. To support his growing family, he performed the menial jobs that were available to Negroes in the early 1950s: porter, laborer, cook, janitor. He worked in some capacity from the time he was ten years old. As a youngster there were times when he had a job and his father didn’t. During those times he gladly pitched in to help make ends meet. In 1955 he started attending classes at Western Baptist Bible College, studying to become a minister. After a brief stint in the US Army, he was ordained by Pastor Robinson and preached his first sermon in 1957 at the tender age of 25. In 1958 he was appointed pastor at Second Baptist Church in Plattsburg, MO. From 1961 to 1964 he pastored First Baptist Church in Sand Springs, OK. From 1964 to 1969 he was the pastor at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Paola, KS, and from 1969 until his retirement in 2003 (34 years) he was the pastor at Highland Missionary Baptist Church at 2621 Benton in Kansas City, MO. In total he pastored for more than 45 years, preaching with a fiery, energetic passion that touched hearts, lifted spirits, and transformed lives. In 1962 he married Frances Ruth Jenkins, who became his life partner, assuming the duties of first lady of the church, supporting his many causes, helping him spread the good news of the gospel for the next 58 years. Politically astute and socially conscious, Reverend Ray helped coordinate and participated in a number of civil rights marches in the 1960s, including the historic 1963 March on Washington, which featured Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. He was a charter member and first chairman of the Kansas City chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). In 1964 he spearheaded a coalition that sued the Sand Springs, OK School Board, forcing the desegregation of its public schools. Years later he was presented a humanitarian award by Oklahoma State University for his courageous leadership in the Sand Springs desegregation campaign. A 25 year employee of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, he started as a janitor and worked his way up through the ranks, breaking barriers and blazing trails for others. He was the first African-American in several job categories, including employment supervisor, a position which allowed him to hire hundreds, perhaps thousands of African-Americans in various positions throughout the organization. He was elected vice-president of the Kansas City chapter of the Communication Workers of America union, the first African-American to hold that post. After retiring from Southwestern Bell in 1980 he devoted himself full time to Highland Missionary Baptist Church and held leadership positions in a number of local and national organizations. He served as president of the Metropolitan Kansas City Baptist Ministers Union, secretary of the Missionary Baptist State Convention of Missouri, and as an auxiliary officer and chaplain for the Kansas City MO Police Department. He has received numerous awards, honors, citations, and commendations from an impressive list of institutions for a lifetime of service to others. Reverend Ray departed this life peacefully May 21, 2020 after a lengthy illness. He leaves to mourn his passing one sister, Carolyn “Madie” Ray of Kansas City, MO, two daughters: Regina S. Ray of Kansas City, MO, and Debra L. Ray of Chicago, IL, two sons: Kenneth E. Ray, Jr. (Janis) of West Bloomfield, MI, and Gregory A. Ray of Rockville, MD, two granddaughters: Sydney and Kaelin, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends throughout the USA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Matthew and Lucille, his wife Frances (by 26 days), three brothers: Matthew R. Ray, Jr., Joseph E. Ray, and Frederick W. “Billy” Ray, three sisters: Delores “Sookie” O’Neal, LaVonne “Boochie” Hill and Joyce Ann Erickson, and his daughter Evelonne. “I would like to be remembered as a man who had a wonderful time living life,” he stated recently. “A man who had good friends and a fine family. I don't think I could ask for anything more than that.” A giant in his local community, he will be remembered, and greatly missed for the contributions he made, the lives he touched, and the difference he made for so many. Well done, good and faithful servant. Well done! REVEREND KENNETH RAY, SR., a public visitation will be held on Friday June 5, 2020 from 10 am - 6 pm at Highland Missionary Baptist Church 2621 Benton Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64127. A private family service will be held Sat, June 6, 2020 at 11 am at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church located at 2411 E 27th St, Kansas City, MO 64127. Interment Brooking Cemetery. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Reverend Kenneth E Ray, Sr, please visit our floral store. Read More

Reverend Kenneth E Ray, Sr

October 10, 1932 - May 21, 2020