Mary Sue Mitchell Ray

One of the most respected and well known individuals in the City of Ocean Springs, Sue Mitchell Ray, passed away Friday, April 23, 2010, at Ocean Springs Hospital after a long fight with cancer. Mrs. Ray, who served for the past 18 years as the Executive Assistant to three Mayors, Kevin Alves, Seren Ainsworth and Connie Moran, was born in Ocean Springs on April 26, 1938. Sue grew up in Ocean Springs, the daughter of John Mitchell Sr. and Georgia Shell Mitchell. Her Father owned Mitchell Brothers Construction, a concrete company in Ocean Springs. Her father passed away in 1963 but her Mother is still living and at age 94 is extremely active in the community. Sue is the oldest of four children. Her brother, John Mitchell, Jr., is seven years younger. He is married to Kathy and lives in Ocean Springs. Her sister, Laurie, is next and is ten years younger. She is married to Gary Gollott, Sr. The baby of the family is Cindy who was born on Sue’s thirteenth birthday and is married to Bob Peters. Sue was married to the late William T. “Rawhide” Ray who played football at Perk and one season with the Green Bay Packers. Rawhide was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi but grew up in Biloxi. They met when they both worked at Ingall's Shipyard in Pascagoula. Sue started there on December 13, 1956 and worked there for 26 years. Sue is survived by her Daughter, Kathy Manno, who is married to Jay Manno and her mother, Georgia Shell Mitchell, and three siblings: her brother, John Claiborne Mitchell, Jr., who is married to Kathy and their children: Clay Mitchell, and his daughter Emily, daughter Wendy who is married to Luis Hawkins and daughter Denise who is married to Jeff Webb. Her sister, Laurie Gollott, who is married to Gary and her children; Tammy and her husband, Tony Brown, and Johnathan and Stephanie Toche, and their children Brittany and Bethany. Visitation is Monday, April 26, 2010, from 5 until 8 p.m. at Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home in Ocean Springs. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church where friends may visit one hour before service time. Interment will follow in Crestlawn Memorial Park.