Red Hook – Joan Ray Morrison died on April 13, 2018. Born on May 29, 1925, in Chambersburg, PA to the Rev and Mrs. Luke and Jomay Ray, they moved to New York shortly after. Living most of her school life in New York City, she graduated from high school in Millerton, NY in 1943. She then went to the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio where she met her husband, Milford, a Marine. After the war, they married in 1947. They lived in Alabama, Michigan and eventually ended up in Red Hook, NY in 1964. While Mil taught English in Red Hook, Joan, who had her Masters in Library Science, was at the Rhinebeck High School for 6 years and in the Red Hook Junior High for 21 years.
After retiring in 1991, she chose to volunteer for Northern Dutchess Caregivers and drove people to medical appointments for many years. Mil died in 1992 so she enjoyed meeting new people and made friends through her volunteer work. Her daughters took up some of her time, as did her church work, especially United Methodist Women. She was also active in Delta Kappa Gamma, an educational group. Reading had always been one of her most enjoyable interests, as was camping with her husband. Cats and dogs have also always been family members. In recent years she had fed, and tried to keep warm, a group of feral cats in her neighborhood. She was loved by many for all the help she gave others.
Her family of five surviving daughters, their spouses, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren live all over the country and the world, including England and Australia. They are Deborah and Jonathan Hoffman of Fuquay Varina, NC, Kathleen and Laurence Healy of Red Hook and Denver, CO, Cynthia Morrison of Red Hook, Donna and James Kostenko of California and Addison, Texas and Leslie and Ron Jones of Hyde Park, NY. Joan was predeceased by a brother, John Denison Ray. She will be missed by many.
There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, send donations to United Methodist Women, United Methodist Church of Red Hook, 4 Church Street, Red Hook, NY 12571. Any future memorial service will be private.
