Margie and Gene Ray were both born and raised in the Indianapolis area in and around the east side. Margie was named after her grandmother. She had three brothers and a sister; one brother has since died. Gene had one brother, David, who suffered from Downs Syndrome. David has also passed away.
As for school — Margie HATED it but enjoyed Math. Margie says the most trouble she ever caused was when she tried to catch a wild bird, fell and cut her leg badly, and her mother who didn’t drive had to call a taxi to take her to the ER! Gene, on the other hand, was evidently an angel; there were no wild tales to tell.
Growing up Margie always wanted to be married and have children, but she also wanted to be a nurse. In many ways, she fulfilled that by being a caregiver to so many family members over the years.
Gene proposed on Christmas day 1965. They had known each other several years, and she just knew he was a “good person”. Gene’s brother, David, also fell in love with her, and announced to one and all that Margie was marrying HIM!
Margie worked for many years at Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) as a teacher’s assistant. She was one of the first to be hired for that position and was in the pilot program. She eventually was assigned to Special Education Classes. She frequently was the only one capable of calming down certain students.
Meanwhile, Gene worked for the United States Postal Service where he was a clerk in the Post Office. He started at the downtown office but transferred to the Linwood Post Office. Since Gene was epileptic, he could not drive, and by working at the Linwood branch, he could walk to and from work.
Gene and Margie completed their family with three children, two of whom are members here at Allisonville: Brenda Escue, Donna Callahan, and their son Kenny, who served 24 years in the military and is now in Florida where he has begun his own business. In addition, Kenny’s good friend, David, took up residence at Gene and Margie’s home when he was a teen. David called her “Mom” and lived with them five to six years. She says the best part of being a parent has been to watch the children grow and know how lucky they all are.
Margie keeps herself occupied by working with her hands doing ceramics and needle point. She also loves to read — a lot! Gene, on the other hand is a sports enthusiast and loves to watch the games on TV. Back in the day, he was an umpire for twelve years. Margie and Gene have also been active in Eastern Star over the years and taken many leadership positions.
