Ray Ella (Thompson) Newton was born on March 10, 1951 to Fayetta Parker and Eddie Lee Thompson in Taft, Oklahoma. At an early age, she professed hope in Christ at Cummings Cole CME under the leadership of Rev. Theodore Goff. Ray was the product of her grandmother, Jannie Mae Parker, who raised five children along with her own eight children. She made a promise not to separate them. Patricia and Odell are the last of the five grandchildren.

Ray graduated in 1970 from Moton High School in Taft, Oklahoma. She worked at the Oklahoma Children's Center and York Manor Nursing Home. After a short courtship, she married the love of her life, Jeff Lee Newton. They made their home in Taft, Oklahoma. She was a devoted wife. Four children were born to this loving union. She remained a member of Cummings Cole throughout her life. Ray never met a stranger, regardless of race. She was a devoted mother and grandmother who loved her family. She could make you feel better with her big smile and extraordinary laugh. Her kindness and reassuring generosity caused everyone who knew her, to fall in love with her. She was spunky and brave; fearless when it came to protecting her family. To know her was to love her. She loved watching "Family Feud" and "The Young and the Restless".

On March 10, 2018 around 12:00 p.m. in St. Francis Medical Center, Tulsa, OK the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, relieved Ray of her suffering. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jeff, son Jeff Jr., sisters Rhonda and Lois and brother Henry Harvey.

Those left to cherish her memory include her loving daughter Shirley (Eugene) Jackson of Muskogee; sons Delbert (Kamari) Newton of Texas, Clint (Krystal) of Muskogee; sisters, Janice Bowler and Patricia Newton of Taft, OK, Bobbie Lee of Muskogee; brothers Odell (Sarah) Parker of Ft Worth, TX, Eddie (Candi) Thompson of Taft, Howard lee (Renee) of California, Bert of Muskogee, Theodore (Alene) of Porter and Joe (Bobbie) Parker of Mesquite, TX; brothers-in-law, Robert (Frankye) Newton, Floyd (Marsha) Newton, and Chester Jack (Diana) Newton all of Muskogee, OK; sisters-in-law, Franclo Murray of Kansas city, KS, Dorothy Newton of Redbird, and Sherron Newton of Muskogee and a host of other Uncles, Aunts, Grandchildren, great-grandchildren, Nieces, Nephews and friends.

A Home Going Service is scheduled Saturday, March 17, 2018, 11:00 a.m., Taft Resource Center, Taft, OK with Rev. Roscoe Beasley, eulogizing.  Interment will follow in Taft Cemetery, Taft, OK.

Visitation will be Friday, 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

The family has been cared for by House of Winn Funeral Home & Cremations, Muskogee, OK.