Mary Koehler Ray

Mary Koehler Ray, 81, daughter of Edward William and Annabella Rodgers Unger, passed away June 21 at the Kaplan Hospice in Danvers. She was the youngest of three siblings (Berna, Edward). She grew up in Penfield, NY, and graduated from Cornell University. She married Albert David Koehler Feb. 4, 1956. They had one son, David Koehler, born in France Dec. 13, 1956. After David Sr. died in an air accident (April 5, 1957), Mary returned to Penfield to raise her son. She married Alan Ray in 1969, and the three Rays later settled in Gloucester, where she became known as a talented water colorist, nature lover, and civic volunteer. In this last capacity she and Alan in 1987 organized and began to lead a team of volunteers to preserve Gloucester's documentary heritage since 1623. That Archives Committee, still operating, has been recognized as a model in Massachusetts for archive preservation. She also published two books of Gloucester history. Mary also loved nature and travel, particularly in Hawaii. Her Gloucester home was full of her water colors, many of them of Hawaiian landscapes and flowers. For the last five years she and Alan lived in Brooksby Village in Peabody. Mary lived a life of optimism, courage and accomplishment in spite of a painful spinal condition from which she suffered since childhood. She was a cheerleader in high school, as if to prove her indomitable spirit. She is survived by her husband Alan. Mary's funeral will be celebrated at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church, in Penfield, NY, Saturday, June 27, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be sent to the Margery Ray and Neal Ormond Scholarship Fund: https://www.communityfoundationfrv.org; the Benevolence Fund at Brooksby Village, c/o Philanthropy Office, 200 Brooksby Dr., Peabody, MA 01960; or another effective charity.