Donald Edward Ray Of Sagaponack Dies December 18

icon 1 Photo
Ralph Gibson (photo by Lou Reed); Tria Giovan

Ralph Gibson (photo by Lou Reed); Tria Giovan

author on Dec 31, 2012

Donald Edward Ray

Donald Edward Ray of Sagaponack died on Tuesday, December 18, after suffering a heart attack at his home. He was 74.

Born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, he graduated from Stetson University with a degree in physical education. Mr. Ray played soccer and football, and coached football, at David Millard Junior High School in Asheville, North Carolina, and at Owen High School in Black Mountain, North Carolina, after working for the University of North Carolina football team while in high school. He worked a number of years at Camp Rockmont, including as its director.

He worked for many years in the garment industry in New York, Atlanta and Boston. He then worked in restaurant management in New York, Charlotte and Boulder. Fine dining was a passion for him.

He spent the past 12 years as an estate manager in Manhattan and the Hamptons.

Mr. Ray is survived by a son, Niles Damon Ray and his wife Amie and their son Jordan, all of Manhattan.

A memorial service was held at United Methodist Church in Carrboro, North Carolina, on December 29. Memorial contributions may be made to the Central Park Conservancy at centralparknyc.org.

You May Also Like:

Protests Over ICE Detentions Continue To Ripple Across South Fork

Protests over the detention of at least a dozen people by federal immigration agents in ... 15 Nov 2025 by Staff Writer

Arrest Made in Amagansett Hit-and-Run That Left Pedestrian Seriously Injured

An Amagansett woman suffered serious injuries when she was struck by a car on Montauk ... by Staff Writer

Brown Budda Opens Cannabis Shop in Southampton, but Town Threatens Court Action

Southampton Town has threatened to take a second cannabis dispensary to court because the business ... 14 Nov 2025 by Michael Wright

Benjamin ‘Shonowe’ Kellis Haile of the Shinnecock Nation Dies November 12

Benjamin “Shonowe” Kellis Haile of the Shinnecock Nation died on November 12 in Southampton. He was 60. A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of The Press. by Staff Writer

Westhampton Beach Fire Department Extinguishes Car Fire

The Westhampton Beach Fire Department was paged out for a car fire just north of ... by Staff Writer

Growing Wellness: New Community Garden at Stony Brook Southampton To Offer 'Produce Prescriptions'

Since its creation, the Food Lab at Stony Brook Southampton has been committed to studying ... by Cailin Riley

In Wake of Immigration Detentions, Advocacy Group Is Left With Many Holes To Plug

While the ICE sweep last week that ensnared a dozen immigrants has sparked outrage and ... 13 Nov 2025 by Michael Wright

Bars Over Southampton Village Hall Windows, Former Jail Cells, Will Be Removed

For some unlucky people, the workplace can feel like a prison. There’s no reason to ... by Cailin Riley

Cleaning Out

There is no setting on binoculars that works in the fog — everything in the distance remains indistinct, and that is fine. Here, the low place, called Sagg Swamp, begins a nearly uninterrupted corridor of unbuilt-upon land: wetlands, ponds and kettleholes; the Long Pond Greenbelt runs for miles to the old harbor. Today, contained, the only fog is there. It rises up from the dark muck to smudge the damp foliage with its dreamy, silver light. So, above, as the crow flies, the air is tinted between gold and pink. Fog is a reoccurring theme, because it reveals a sense ... by Marilee Foster

'Novembrance'

Gaudy October is gone. The November landscape is muted colors, falling leaves and skeletal branches. The month opens with reminders of death. In the Catholic Church, November first is All Saints’ Day. On November 2, All Souls Day is dedicated to praying for the souls of the departed. The Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead is celebrated on the same days but has a more festive air. It’s also observed across the United States. The All-Souls Procession has been an annual event since 1990 in Tucson, Arizona. San Antonio, Texas, is known for its Muertos Fest and river ... by Denise Gray Meehan