Lifetime Service Ray attended Champaign (now Champaign Central) High School and was a member of the Maroons successful wrestling program. The Maroons won Big 12 titles in both 1961 and 1963 to go along with their Regional crown in 1963. Ray was a Regional place winner from 1961 through 1963. Ray went on to wrestle at Eastern Illinois University where he was the runner-up in the IIAC tournament and qualified for the NCAA D-2 championships. Ray left Eastern in 1969 with his degree in Education. It was during his collegiate days that Ray acquired his officiating license "” but only on a part time basis. In 1964 Ray earned his Official's license and worked his first tournament at El Paso, Illinois. Ray did not embrace officiating on a "full time" basis. Instead, he became an assistant wrestling coach at Unity High School in Tolono, Illinois. Ray had refereed his first IHSA Regional in 1967 and garnered another such assignment the following year. By 1973 Ray shifted his focus and pursued officiating on a regular basis. His officiating career would continue unabated through the 2006 season. In 1974 he was assigned to his first IHSA Sectional and a short period later (1979) Ray earned his first IHSA State Finals assignment. During his career Ray worked 37 IHSA Regionals, 30 IHSA Sectionals, 18 IHSA Individual State Finals and six IHSA Dual Team Finals. He has also worked the first five IESA State Finals along with five IKWF State Series. Additionally, for twenty years Ray has served the IHSA and the wrestling community as a Rules Interpreter. The IWCOA honored Ray in 1980 as its Official of the Year for his dedication to the sport. For his continued excellence and service, the IWCOA inducted Ray into its Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2001 Ray was honored as a Grand Marshal for the IHSA Individual State Finals. Ray closed his officiating career in 2005 as he worked the final match of the Class A Championships that night.