Thomas Doyle ‘Tom’ Ray, Jr. 46, Orange

Thomas Doyle ‘Tom’ Ray, Jr., 46, of Orange, Texas, passed away on Sunday, October 23, 2016, at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont, Texas.

Funeral services, under the direction of Dorman Funeral Home, will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, October 27, 2016, at the Robert A. ‘Bob’ Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur, Texas, with Reverend J.W. Harrell, pastor of the Bridge City Pentecostal Church, and Murry Ray officiating.

Rite of Committal and Interment will follow services at Autumn Oaks Memorial Park in Orange, Texas, where Tom will be laid to rest next to his daughter, Blair, and son, Tyler.

A gathering of family and friends will be from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM on Thursday, October 27, 2016, at the Bob Bowers Civic Center

Tom was born on Saturday, January 10, 1970, to parents Connie (Romero) and Thomas Doyle Ray, Sr.

and was a lifelong resident of Orange, Texas.

He was a Christian man and a member of the United Pentecostal Church.

Tom was a graduate Orangefield High School, Class of 1988, and went on to receive his Associates Degree at Lamar Institute of Technology, before beginning his career in Law Enforcement.

Tom was an officer for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for 23 years.

At the age of 23, Tom began working in the jail and after many years of hard work at the Sheriff’s Department, working his way up through the ranks, he was promoted on February 4, 2014, to Captain in the Criminal Investigation Division.

Tom also served as a former board member for the TMPA. He was described as a very noble man, who worked as an advocate for the people of Orange County, and for his fellow police officers.

Tom enjoyed the times when he was able to fish and when he was able to go to the deer lease, and hunt.

He was a husband, father, brother, and friend, who will be dearly missed by all those who knew, and loved him.

Tom is preceded in death by his daughter, Blair Ray, and son, Tyler Landry.

Those who will cherish his memory most are his wife, Mariah Ray of Orange, Texas; parents Connie and Thomas Ray, Sr.; son, Justin Ray; step-son, Alex Knapp; brothers, Murry Ray and his wife, Jeanine of Trumann, Arkansas, and Clint Ray of Bridge City, Texas; many members of his extended family and friends; and his family at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Honoring Tom as Pallbearers are Brandon Rascoe, Clint Ray, Justin Ray, Joey Jacobs, Alex Knapp, and Chad Hogan; Honorary Pallbearers are Garrett Ray and Rowdy Slaughter.