Travis Ray

John Travis Ray, 42, of Wooster, passed away unexpectedly at his home while surrounded by the love of his family on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Travis was born on Jan. 31, 1984, in Jasper, GA and was the son of the late Barry Lamar Ray Sr. and Valarie Gay Bafford. He graduated from South Side Beaver High School in Hookstown, PA in 2003 and attended Edinboro University. He served in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, 171st Pittsburgh Ground Radio Communications Division for 12 years. He was called to active duty in the U.S. Air Force several times having served in Iraq and during Operation Enduring Freedom. On August 13, 2010, Travis married the love of his life, Heather Marie Donoghue and they built a beautiful life together. Travis worked for Botha Trucking as the Chief Operating Officer and the family relocated to Wooster in 2025 from Tyler, Texas.
Travis was an amazing man who loved his family fiercely and with his whole heart. Travis was the type of person who would give the shirt off his back and would meet people wherever they were in life to lift them up. He was a great fisherman and he loved football, having coached for Waynedale Youth Football where he was a mentor to young athletes. His favorite football team was the Atlanta Falcons. Travis was a man of faith and was a member of Trinity Bible Church in Tyler, Texas. He will be greatly missed but will always be remembered for his strength, his integrity, his love of family and his “no volume” voice.
Surviving is his wife, Heather; his four children, Skylynn Ray and Timmy Norr, Zaylea Ray, Seth Ray and Tucker Ray; his granddaughter, Aria; special aunt, Linda “DD” and uncle Russell Couch; Sherry Green (Ma); grandfather, John L. Ray; brothers, Joe Bafford, Barry “BJ” and his wife, Emmylou Ray and Marcus Ray, sister, Deanna and her husband Brian Phillips, his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Gerald and Cindy Donoghue; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law, Samantha and her husband Eric Kempisty, Jackie Donoghue and Kevin Donoghue; many loving nieces and nephews and many special friends including, Aaron Gast and family, and Phillip Botha and family.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Valarie, his father, Barry Sr., and his step-father, David Green.
Services will be Saturday, Oct. 24th at 2:00 p.m. at Fredericksburg Presbyterian Church. Friends may call from 12:00 noon until time of services at 2:00 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Waynedale Football Program.