Truett Colay Ray, age 32, entered into the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on September 9th of 2026.

Truett lived a life defined by deep care and compassion for others. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and especially loved fighting injustice. He had a heart for the underprivileged and displaced, a passion reflected in his four years as a paralegal and case manager with Legal Aid in both Kansas City and Chicago. Truett loved deeply. He loved his parents, his brother, his sisters, and his friends. And he never stopped loving his high-school sweetheart, Emily, to whom he was married from 2014-2024. If you knew Truett at all, you knew this.

Truett was a gifted photographer with an extraordinary eye for art and light. He had a way of noticing beauty in things others might overlook. One of his favorite things to do was to capture that beauty through his camera. Through his use of light, perspective, and angles, he could draw out something remarkable in an ordinary object or reveal something beautiful in a person. He carried that gift into a thriving wedding photography business he enjoyed for many years.

Truett had a passion for community. He loved the marriage of science and public works when they brought greater access and assistance to those who went without. Whenever public transportation expanded into new communities and connected more people to their city, Truett's eyes lit up. He was fascinated by cities that valued access for "the least of these," especially when that access was created efficiently. Truett dreamed of living in many places, but he especially wanted to see the big city he grew up near, Kansas City, become the kind of dream city he imagined. His dream was a place where everyone had what they needed, everyone was valued, no one's way was considered better than another's, and differences were not feared, but celebrated, honored, and loved.

Truett valued insight and education. He did not rely on tradition to answer his questions. He did not accept things at facevalue or accept the status quo. He challenged institutions and long-held beliefs because he cared deeply about their effects on people. Truett sought formal and self-taught education in all stages of his life. He read. A lot. He often had his face in a book or an article, staying informed about ideas, stories, and current events. He wanted the same for his friends and family. He believed people should be aware of what was happening around them, and never become blind or apathetic to the world they lived in.

He loved his dogs-Lyra and Whiskey, and the cats who chose him-George and Kennedy.

Truett recently found his calling in healthcare. (His words.) The last six months of his career were spent as an endoscopy technician at Gastroenterology Specialists, Inc., where he discovered how much he loved the patient side of healthcare. He hated to see people hurting, and his whole face would light up when he connected with them. He had a natural gift for calming and comforting people who were anxious or afraid. Truett wanted to spend his days bringing help and healing to others. Even before formally training in healthcare, he found himself comforting people he could tell were worried about undergoing a procedure. It was a gift that came naturally to him and required no training. His time at GSI brought him tremendous happiness, and inspired him to enroll in nursing school, where he was scheduled to begin in January 2027.

To his immediate family and circle of friends, Truett was always a "take-charge" person. He had a way of commanding a room. He was a "gamer", and someone who was always ready to have a party. His absence removes all of that from every family gathering, and makes a huge empty space that we all feel. His life was marked by much difficulty and sorrow. He was born with a defective physical heart, and he died with a broken heart.

Truett gave his life to Christ as a 7-year-old. He lived for Christ in a strong way all through his teens and early twenties. Because Truett was a gifted writer, he wrote eloquent statements of what he believed. His faith journey was very public. In his own words, he has detailed the years when he was most disillusioned with the Church, but eventually his faith in Jesus was restored, and he was eager to make that clear to friends and family.

Truett was preceded in death by his maternal grandmother (Nana), Moleta King, with whom he shared a love for legal thrillers, and his paternal grandfather (Granddaddy), Herbert Ray, with whom he shared a propensity to give a good speech when family was gathered.

Truett is survived by his mother, Michelle Ray; his father, Spencer Colay Ray; his older sister, Abigail Hoover (Sam); his younger brother, Titus Ray (Grace); and his younger sisters, Anna Ray and Jane Ray all of Tulsa, Oklahoma; his maternal grandfather (Papa), Michael King of Tulsa, Oklahoma; his paternal grandmother (Granny), Jo Colay Ray of Tontitown, Arkansas; a niece, Beatrix Hoover, a nephew, Whitaker Hoover, along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family members, and dear friends who will forever treasure the memories they shared with him.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has surrounded them with love, prayers, and support during this difficult time. A service will be held on Saturday, September 19th at 2:00pm at Memorial Baptist Church, Tulsa. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to help with funeral expenses may make a donation by text to give at 918-233-3740. (Dollar amount RAY)