Individual Details

Death

SHREVEPORT, LA-A memorial service will be held at 11:00am, Saturday, December 28, 2013, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Shreveport for Raymond Tobias Furr, Jr. Ray, age 85, died on December 20, 2013. Ray was born on July 24, 1928, in Courtland, Mississippi. He graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy in 1949. While at his beloved Ole Miss, he met his future wife, Mary Lucy Despain. They were married on September 17, 1950. Ray served in the U.S. Army at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky during the Korean War. Learning and reading were Ray's lifelong interests. Although he had no opportunity to study literature as a Pharmacy student, he enrolled at LSU-S and audited over 60 hours of classes in Literature, Arts, and Humanities after retiring from his career as a retail pharmacist. He was active in his book club in south Shreveport, as well as the Tarshar Society. Ray enjoyed travelling and visited Central and South America and Europe, including Scandinavia. Ray was also a past President of the West Shreveport Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. Ray was predeceased by his wife, Mary Lucy Despain Furr; his son, David Alan Furr, and his grandson, Keith Michael Andrus. He is survived by his daughter, Raychel Furr Bartek, and her husband, Ron, from Fairfax County, Virginia; his grandsons, Byron Scott Andrus and Stuart John Andrus; his honorary Brazilian grandson, Claudio Dacier Lobato, and his sister, Carole Furr Waller. In his later years, Ray often said his final goal was to help his surviving grandsons, Byron and Stuart, complete their education. His eldest grandson, Byron, lived with him for four years and graduated summa cum laude from LSU-S in 2010. Subsequently, "Gramos" attended Byron's graduation from George Mason University School of Law in May, 2013. Ray's youngest grandson, Stuart, has lived with him for the past two years. Stuart graduated from BPCC cum laude on December 18 and will be transferring to LSU. Ray was happy to have achieved his final goal of helping his grandsons. Two days after Stuart's graduation, God called Ray home. Mission accomplished. Ray's middle grandson, Keith, passed away at age 24 from Friedreich's ataxia. To help others afflicted with this devastating genetic disorder, Ray requested that memorial donations be made to the Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA); PO Box 1537; Springfield, VA 22151. The family would like to thank Dr. Liu and the staff at LifeCare Pierremont Hospital for their compassion and care. Ray lived a blessed life with a positive attitude and loving devotion to his family. A true Southern gentleman-- he will be both remembered and missed. Hotty Toddy!
Shreveport Times, Shreveport, Louisiana, December 25, 2013