Cyndi Marie Ray

Longtime Placer County resident Cyndi Marie Ray passed away September 30 in Chowchilla with her family by her side after a short but courageous battle with cancer. Cyndi, a loving wife, mother and grandmother, resided in the Eden Valley area for over 50 years before moving last year to Chowchilla to be closer to grandchildren. Cyndi was born Dec. 11, 1955 in Southgate, Ca. to Don and Esther Rex. She later moved with her family to Eden Valley in the mid-1960s. Cyndi attended Weimar Hills School before graduating from Colfax High in 1974. She later attended Sierra College and worked in the banking industry. In 1976, Cyndi married Mike Ray over the water at Lake of the Pines Country Club. The couple would go on to be married 45 years in a relationship that produced three sons and eventually six beautiful grandchildren. In 1997, Cyndi made a career change and worked the next 22 years as the Principal's Secretary at Weimar Hills Middle School before retiring in 2019. At Weimar Hills, with her smile and infectious laugh she brightened up the campus. Besides her daily office workload, she became heavily involved with helping both parents and teachers with their student group activities and often volunteering to help chaperone school events. Cyndi was an avid homemaker with her own distinctive way of putting a special touch on decorations. In her later years as friends' children were hitting married age, Cyndi and a group of friends helped beautifully decorate and coordinate weddings for several events in the local area and Reno. With her three sons involved in sports and activities, Cyndi saw more than her share of Colfax High athletic events where she became involved with the school's booster groups in helping run the snack bars at Falcon games. She was also involved with Colfax-Meadow Vista Little League and was a past president of the Colfax Soroptimist Club. Always first to lend a hand, Cyndi had no problem rolling up her sleeves and adding her uncanny knack of always making everything look or taste just a little bit better. Cyndi is survived by her husband of 45 years Mike of Chowchilla; three sons, Kyle Ray (Lindsay) of El Dorado Hills; Nathan (Shannon) of Chowchilla and Tory of San Francisco. Also surviving are her beloved grandchildren Riley, Walker and Paisley Ray of El Dorado Hills, and Hadley, Holden and Hayes Ray of Chowchilla. Also surviving is a sister, Pam Rex Small (Greg) of Newcastle and niece Marianne Marti of Seattle Washington. She was preceded in death by her parents Don and Esther Rex and a sister, Gail Marti. A memorial service is being planned. The family would also like to thank AseraCare Hospice Health of Fresno. Donations in her memory can be sent to Soroptimist International of Colfax, P.O. Box 475, Colfax, Ca. 95713 or to the American Cancer Society at www.donate3.cancer.org.