Gainesville, GA – Margaret Nicholson Ray Giroux (Dody), 88, of Key Largo, FL, formerly of Bayville, NJ, died on April 3, 2022 at New Horizons Lanier Park in Gainesville, GA. Born on January 15, 1934 in Binghamton, NY, the daughter of George W. Ray and Margaret Nicholson Ray, Dody was the granddaughter of Jewett Johnson Ray and Lena Hakes Ray and also of Reverend John Wesley Nicholson and Blanche Crowell Nicholson. She was also the great granddaughter of Federal Court Judge George W. Ray of Norwich, NY, appointed to the bench by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. She was predeceased by her husband Calvin A. Giroux in February, 2013.
Dody graduated from Northampton High School in Massachusetts in 1951 and from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1955 with a B.A. in Radio Communications. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority and remained active with Pi Phi throughout her life, particularly with the Margaret Nicholson Ray Legacy Scholarship fund. Dody also served as an Alumni Trustee of Ohio Wesleyan for several years.
In 1955 she was employed by ITT’s Mackay Marine Division in Clark, NJ as a secretary, but she soon became a valued Senior Sales Representative of Mackay’s sales force for the remainder of her 35 years with ITT. At Mackay Marine Dody met the love of her life, Calvin, who predeceased her in February 2013. They were married in May 1977 at the Ray homestead in Morris, NY.
During their marriage of 36 years, Dody and Cal loved to travel all over the world and the United States and especially enjoyed cruises with family and friends. They lived in central New Jersey most of the year but spent their winter months in Key Largo, FL at Silver Shores Senior Community where they became deeply involved in the community life, Dody serving on the Board of Directors for many years. They were also stalwart members of Burton United Methodist Church in Tavernier, FL where Dody devoted much of her time to the Food Pantry ministry.
Survivors include her brother George W. Ray III (Pree) of Lexington, VA, her brother John W. N. Ray (Marsha) of Topsail Beach, NC, her sister Selinda R. Mahan (Dan) of Braselton, GA, her cousin Mary Jett Woodring of Westborough, MA, two stepdaughters, Kim Howison (Joe) of Jupiter, FL and Lee Giroux of NJ, niece Virginia Ranger (Mike) of Morristown, NJ, and her two children, Alexander Ranger of Morristown, and Margaret R. Manasia of Madison, NJ, niece Melissa R. Riehl (Tom) of Reisterstown, MD and her children, Spencer T. Riehl of New York, NY, Andrew N. Riehl of Reisterstown, MD and Grace E. Riehl of Reisterstown, MD, niece Margaret E. Veerkamp (Jeff) of Webster, NY and her children, Molly and Mark of Webster, NY, niece Stacia S. Cassale (Anthony) of Duanesburg, NY and her children, Nicole and Tom of Duanesburg, NY, nephew John W. N. Ray II (Karen) of Saquoit, NY and his children, Kelsey, Tyler, Zachary, Allyson and John W. N. Ray III, and grandchildren, EJ Hannig (Krissy) of New Freedom, PA,
Jill Cabarle of Jupiter, FL and her son and Christine Cabarle of NJ and her two children. Dody was cremated at Flanigan Funeral Home in Buford, GA, and her ashes will be combined with Cal’s and scattered on the waters behind Silver Shores in Key Largo.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 515, Northampton, MA 0061-0515 (1-888-622-8527) or American Parkinson Disease Association, P.O. Box 61420, Staten Island, NY 10306 (1-800-223-2732).