Ray was the son of James Frank and Linnie Pearl Hennington Goddard. He graduated from eighth grade at Plainview, Texas. He worked on the family farm in Arch until he was 18 and married Imogene King. They moved to Arizona where he worked in the lead and zinc mines. He came back to Oklahoma and worked at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant then went to New Mexico and worked about three years on a milk delivery truck. He later went to work for Mead Bread Company and married Barbara Shirley in 1974. He moved to Oklahoma City in 1978, where he worked for Rainbow Bread Company, retiring in 1996. He was a 32nd Degree Mason and enjoyed raising ostriches with his wife. Survivors include two daughters, Billie Knox and Jeff Gutzler, Portales, N.M., and Dee and David Rutledge, Seattle; two sons, Bobby and Virginia Carter, of Oklahoma City, and Danny Carter and Cheryl Bodnar, Phoenix. Also, brothers, Josh Goddard, of Hartshorne, Walter Goddard, of Oklahoma City, and Carl and Polly Goddard, of Hartshorne; sister, Bertalee Young, of Indianola. And, brothers-in-law, Albert and Geneva Shirley, Portales, and Delmer and Jolene Shirley, Clovis, N.M.; sisters-in-law, Alice and Fred Collins, Artesia, N.M., Arlene and Orvil Griffeth, Portales, Wanda Reed, Clovis, Doris Brown, Brownsville, Texas, Peggy Sue Gaynor, Chandler, Texas, and Judy and LD Clark, Brownsville, Texas; 20 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Imogene Goddard; second wife, Barbara Goddard on March 25, 2005; daughters, Jo Aline Goddard (Wilkins) and Margaret Linstead; son, Gerald Goddard; brothers, Raymond Goddard and David Goddard; sister, Gladys Mote; sister-in-law, Marie Kimbral; brother-in-law, Ronnie Shirley, and nephew, Carl Dee Goddard. Pallbearers will be Bruce Barcheers, Kaleb Barcheers, James Goddard, Dakota Snell, Kyle Bonem and Shon Knox. Honorary pallbearers will be Darin Bonem, Dylan Knox, Mark Bonem, Chad Rutledge, Elijah Rutledge, Brice Carter, Brendon Carter, Skyler Cantazero, Dustin Cantazero and Jordan Welch. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with the Rev. Don Hay officiating. Burial will be at Portales Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Brumley-Mills Funeral Home of Hartshorne.
McAlester News Capital
March 2010