<p>Billy Ray Ground Jr. (Ray) went to his Eternal Home in Heaven on January 31, 2025. He was born on November 13, 1949, in Dallas, Texas, to parents Billy Ray (Bill) and Merle Ground. He grew up on Wheatland Road in South Dallas with his younger brother Randy and many cousins. Years later, sitting around a campfire or dinner table, they would laugh until they cried when retelling innocent but mischievous stories of their childhood together.</p><p><br></p><p>Ray graduated from Carter High School in 1968. He played on the football team and was voted most handsome in his class. After graduating from Abilene Christian University with a Bachelor of Science, he returned home to work for a bank in downtown Dallas. Eventually, he traded the suit and tie for a toolbelt and started building houses with his uncle, which led to him starting his own business called Sunray Homes. Ray built houses all over South Dallas, including the perfect home for his family in Cedar Hill in 1980. His family went to church together, took vacations every summer in his big blue van, fished nearly every body of water in Texas and beyond, and created their own beautiful memories.</p><p><br></p><p>Taking a break from home building, Ray went to work for Glitch Field Services in 1988 as a project manager traveling to refineries all over the United States and the United Kingdom.</p><p><br></p><p>After retiring, Ray fully embraced his adventurous spirit. He traveled to Thailand to rebuild after the tsunami and made three trips to Africa where he built church buildings, shared the gospel, and demonstrated a servant’s heart. He hiked and camped all over Colorado and Texas with friends, church groups, and family. From 2007 to 2014, he climbed 18 of the 54 mountains in Colorado that have elevations over 14,000 feet. He loved fishing, hiking, camping, and sharing these passions with everyone he knew.</p><p><br></p><p>Papaw Ray was a devoted grandfather to five grandchildren and was present for every birth and birthday. He loved taking them on trips to zoos, museums, and parks, and he especially loved taking them camping and fishing. He loved reading and watching movies. He had s great appreciation for music, which he passed on to his kids and grandchildren.</p><p><br></p><p>If you knew Ray, then you know he was a Christian and a member of the Church of Christ. He was always ready to share his faith with anyone he met. In 2016, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He used his illness to remind us to always put our faith in God and He will take care of us.</p><p><br></p><p>Ray is preceded in death by his mother Merle Ground. He is survived by his father, Bill Ground; brother, Randy Ground and wife Sharon; daughter, Tiffany Walker and husband Cory, and their daughters Cora and Lola; daughter Amanda Garner and husband Jay, and their children, Layton, Emmett, and Selah; and his son, Zachary Ground and his wife, Samantha Davis.</p><p><br></p><p>Visitation at 10:00am</p><p>Service at 11:30am</p><p>Friday, February 7, 2025</p><p>Western Hills Church of Christ</p><p>8800 Chapin Road</p><p>Fort Worth, Texas 76116</p><p><br></p>
November 13, 1949 - January 31, 202511/13/194901/31/2025
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Billy Ray Ground Jr.
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