Ray attended and graduated from Encino High school.  As a young adult, he was a volunteer firefighter with the Encino Fire Department. He then joined the Army. After leaving the Army, Ray married Mary (Montoya), his wife of 61 years on September 19, 1961.

Throughout his career, he worked for House of Carpets and Allstate. Later, Ray worked as a custodian for Kirkland Airforce Base, Winrock Mall, Master Clean, and retired with Dust Busters Janitorial Services.

Ray is survived by his wife, Mary, five children: Mary Jane Lopez (Eddie), Ramona Benevidez (Blas), Alma Pena, Geraldine Roberts, and Matthew Pena (Marcy), Grandchildren: Michael (Shaleigh) Denise (Pablo), Tanya, Fermin, Feliciana (Robert), Maria, Blas Jr., Ida, Deanndra, Antoinette, Vanessa, and Paul. He is further survived by 30 great-grandchildren, with another great-grandchild on the way, three great-great-grandchildren, his sisters, Lucy, Viola, Nobelena, brother George, brother-in-law Martin, sister-in-law Virginia, many nieces, nephews, cousins, and an abundance of friends.

Ray loved his coffee, his dogs, and fishing, and enjoyed hunting in his younger years, but most of all  Ray loved his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; he said they made him feel young. Ray was an exuberant storyteller and was always up for good conversation. He liked telling jokes, singing silly songs, dancing in the living room, and doing word searches. A strong man, Ray beat three types of cancer in his 70's and 80's. He could fix anything.