Jerrett M. (Skipper) Ray passed away Thursday, May 2, 2024, at the age of 71. Skipper was born August 13, 1952, in Miami, Florida to Joy and Jerry Ray. The oldest of five children, Skipper spent his childhood in Port Isabel, Texas, where he discovered his passion for fishing. His family moved to Georgia when Skipper was 13, and he graduated from high school in Jesup, Georgia. Skipper married his high school sweetheart, Diane, and to this marriage two sons were born, Keith and Bryan. In Georgia, he spent seven years as a locomotive engineer. Then... Excerpt from Captain Skipper Chronicles: “The year was 1978. I came back for a visit to where I had grown up, to South Padre, Port Isabel where my grandfather, uncle, cousin, and my brother Bryan were all guiding on the Laguna Madre. My brother said “Why don’t you get your Captain’s license and start guiding for me. I’ll let you run one of my bay boats and you can make some money for both of us!” Sounded good to me, because I loved fishing, and I loved people. With my Captain’s license in hand, I started guiding. I was off and running, of course after a few lessons from my family about where to go and not go. So, I’d follow Capt. Vere Wells around, as well as Ed Keller, and my grandpa – Capt. Wiley Mahurin. Did this till I found my own way around the bay. I got stuck a few times, but learned where I could and couldn’t go. I learned to read the water.” Skipper went on to become an accomplished bay and offshore Captain. An angler since childhood, Skipper won numerous fishing awards. The award he was most proud of winning was the 1996 Texas International Fishing Tournament (TIFT) Bay Grand Champion, winning with a flyrod, and with his nephew Capt. Jeff Hartung as his poling man. In 2015, his fishing prowess and charming disposition landed him the very best prize of his fishing career! While fishing in the Walk for Women tournament with his sister Joy and her friend India Bowles, Skipper captured India’s heart. They fell in love and have been inseparable ever since. In addition to fishing, Skipper was a passionate 8 ball and 9 ball pool tournament player and enjoyed weekly tournaments with his friends. Skipper was also a talented guitar player and loved playing and singing at gatherings of his friends and family. Many people don’t know that Skipper grew up around airplanes and soloed for the first time at 16 years old and over the course of the next three years flew many planes from his father’s FBO airfield. Along with his brothers and father, Skipper also built and flew radio-controlled airplanes. Friends and family are blessed to have shared in Skipper’s life and adventures. Skipper was loved by all who knew him. Thank you for the memories. Skipper is preceded in death by his parents, Jarrett Manning Ray and Joy Patricia Mahurin; grandparents, Captain Wiley Mahurin, Selma Long Mahurin, Joseph C. Ray, and Daisy Ray. Left to cherish his memories are his wife, India Bowles; children, Jerrett Keith Ray, Bryan Thomas Ray, Gus McGarraugh, and Kate McFarland; siblings, Bryan D. Ray, Wiley J. Seaton, Jason P. Ray, and Joy Ray Gimble; grandchildren, Joie Ray, Lindsey Ray, Rebekah Ray, Sarah Ann Ray, and great-aunt, Barbara (Bobby) Wells, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Skipper’s family will be receiving visitors from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Monday, May 13, 2024, with a Celebration of Life to follow at 2:00 p.m. at Chapel by the Sea, 33425 State Park Rd 100, South Padre Island, TX 78597. Service will be livestreamed on the following sites: https://www.chapelbytheseaspi.com/ or https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmisQLGtl5w4IK-MwTvCbcw In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Friends of RGV Reef, 419 W. US Hwy 83, Pharr, TX 78577. You may sign the online guestbook, light a remembrance candle, or send words of comfort to the family of Jerrett M. (Skipper) Ray at www.thomaegarza.com. Funeral arrangements entrusted to the care of Thomae-Garza Funeral Home and Crematorium, 395 S. Sam Houston, San Benito, Texas, (956) 399-1331.