Raynette "Ray" Garner

On Sunday, January 31, 2021, Raynette Garner, loving wife and mother of three children, passed away at her home in Bryan, TX at the age of 78. Her final days were spent with her family.

Ray, as she was known by family and friends, was born on March 10, 1942 in Charleston, South Carolina

to Virgil and Helen Lumley. On July 4, 1959, she married the love of her life, Robert (Bob) Allen Garner Jr. They raised one daughter, Milissa, and two sons, Robert and Marc. In 1970, after five years of being stationed at Herzo Base in Germany, Bob was transferred to Fort Hood, Texas and the family moved to Copperas Cove, Texas. Raynette was a long time member of the St. Thomas Aquinas Church.

Ray spent time at home raising her three children while her husband was in the Army. Once they were all in school Ray decided she wanted to work outside the home. Working several jobs before going to work at Merle Norman Cosmetics in Killeen, Texas. She was an artist when it came to teaching women how to apply their makeup and take care of their skin but she wasn’t fond of having to pierce someone’s ears. One day while piercing a woman’s ear the woman passed out. Ray jumped up, ran to the back, grabbed her purse and headed out the door. The boss asked her where she was going and she stated, “I just killed her and I have to get out of here!” Not long after that incident Ray decided ear piercing was not for her and went to work as a pawnbroker with Big State Pawn in Copperas Cove. It wasn’t long before she was promoted to manager and after Bob retired, he joined her in the pawn business. They made a great team and she was never afraid to “crack the whip” on him. The company moved them to Marshall, Texas, Irving, Texas and finally to Bryan, Texas where they decided to stay and she continued to work as a pawnbroker for many years. After the pawn business she then became a bookkeeper for First American Bank in Bryan. Ray could accomplish anything she put her mind to. If someone said she couldn’t do something she was even more determined to prove them wrong. She was stubborn that way!

Ray was a vibrant, fun loving, high spirited, unstoppable woman who enjoyed life. Some of her greatest joys were being a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She loved her family and she provided her children with the best life she knew how to. She will be missed intensely.

Ray was preceded in death by her beloved son Robert, her parents Virgil and Helen, her sister Anita, and brother Max. She is survived by her husband of almost 62 years Robert; daughter Milissa and her husband Barney Boatcallie; son Marc Garner and his wife Darlene. Grandsons David Boatcallie and his wife Rebecca and their 4 children and Chris Garner and his wife Kristy and their 2 daughters and numerous extended family members and friends. There will be a visitation at Callaway- Jones Funeral Center the evening of February 21st, from 5pm-7pm. A private family service will be held February 22nd at 1pm and will be livestreamed for anyone who wishes to join in. A Graveside service at Restever Memorial Park Cemetery will follow at 3pm for family and friends that wish to attend. Covid-19 protocols will be in place. The family would like to express their thanks for the wonderful help and care given by Natalie Noak, Ray’s Hospice nurse.

Express condolences at CallawayJones.com