Harold Ray King, age 76 of Sequin, passed away March 28, 2012. Visitation will be held Sunday, April 1, 2012 at Tres Hewell Morturary from 3 - 7 p.m. Funeral services will bs held Monday, April 2, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. At the Tre Hewell Mortuary with Rev Bill Knobles officiating. Entombment will follow in Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park.
Ray was born on September 2, 1935 in Bogata, TX to John and Edna Venable King. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Harden Simmons Universary. He was a manufacturers' representative for concrete roofing tile products. Ray formerly served on the City Council of Hollywood Park, TX and was the current secretary of the McQween's Lions Club.
Ray was fondly remembered for confounding Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI).
He is preceded in death by his late wife Judie King, his parents, and brother William King. Survivors include his loving wife, Patricia Irvine-King, daughters, Melissa Ashby and husband Bruce, and Lezlie King and husband Mark Burns; sons, Rom Ortiz and wife Toni Thompson Ortiz and Steve Bayne; grandaughters, Johanna Ashby Kell and husbandRyan, Jessica Ashby Jones and husband Will, Jordan Ortiz and Olivia Ortiz, grandson, Austen Ortez, and three great grandchildren.
memorials can be made to the CASI Scholarship Fund.
From Bill Pierson:
CASI lost one of it's Pioneers and Legends when Ray King passed Way last evening. Ray's Heath had been in decline the past couple of years,but it still is a shock to lose someone who had so much to do with CASI.
Ray Along with Doris Kitmman Coats and Richard Knight (they were known as the KKK, a tag that didn't last for long for obvious reasons) developed the basic chili rules we still follow.
In the late 70's, Ray founded C.A.S.I., Inc. Ray was the first Tally Masterr, although he did not hold that title. He kept track of the cook's points until Richard Knight assumed those duties and title. in the early 80's, Ray was instrumental in the formation of CASI-Chili Appreciation Society Interenational which is the organization that governs our Cookoffs. Ray was the first President.
