Laverne Ray

Laverne Hoskins Ray passed away on Monday, December 7, 2020 after a brief illness.  She was born on August 9, 1939, in Alum Creek, Texas to Ray and Topsy Laverne Hoskins.   She spent most of her childhood at the Hoskins homestead at the foot of Rocky Hill outside of Smithville.  During her high school years her family lived for a short time in Tanglewood, Texas and Laverne graduated from Lexington ISD.  She attended Nixon Clay Business School in Austin after graduation and worked at the Texas Department of Transportation. She married Glen Ray in 1959.

They lived in Smithville and Lexington for several years while Glen taught high school classes and coached. In 1963, they lived in Giddings while Glen trained for a job with the Federal Agriculture Department, and afterward moved to Mt. Vernon.  During the next ten years Laverne ran a private kindergarten program from her home and was the elementary principal’s secretary. She was a member of First Baptist Church. The greatest memories were three other families that rotated homes every Saturday evening, while playing canasta until late into the night. There were many laughs and great memories made in each of these friends’ homes.

In 1973, a move to Buffalo was made.  Laverne was excited to be closer to her family in Bastrop County.  While in Buffalo, she operated a fabric and dress shop, was a secretary for Texas Power and Light Company, and a clerk at the Buffalo ISD tax office. She also continued to work her magic with many arts and crafts that she was so very talented doing. She crocheted, made sequined Christmas tree skirt, tablecloth, stockings, and advent calendar, needlepoint clock kits, painting and many other crafts.

In 1983, again to get closer to Bastrop County, they moved to Hallettsville. Laverne worked at the Hallettsville ISD in the superintendent’s office.

After retirement a final move to Smithville was made in 1996.  Life was good for Laverne here, surrounded by family and friends once again.    She had great friends in her Sunday School class and life got very interesting as she babysat for newborns and toddlers.  She loved those babies and loved talking about them long after they had grown up.  Two of her favorites were Emily Fleming and Laney Summerall.  She liked to quote things they would say when they were little girls, right up to her final days.  She loved eating, watching TV, working puzzle books, and sleeping.  She said those were her “hobbies”.  These made her so happy in her final years of life.    But overall, she just enjoyed being in the comfort of her home.

Laverne was preceded in death by her husband, Glen, an infant son, Eddie Wayne, her parents, Ray and Topsy Hoskins, and her sister, Rachel Smith.

She is survived by her two children, Ronnie Ray and his wife, Sherri of West Point and Robin Ray Westfall and Doug of Giddings; grandchildren,  Kayla Ray Shepherd and husband Derek, Quintin Skidmore, Daniel Skidmore, Kacy Frerichs and her husband Ryan, Ethan Westfall and wife Laura,  and Elliott Westfall; 6 great-granddaughters and another great grandchild on the way; brothers and sister, Gene Hoskins and wife, Carmen, Jimmy Hoskins and wife, Cindy and Grace Ann Varner as well as numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and their children.

A private service will be held to celebrate Laverne's life.