Ray was commissioned to farm work during World War I.  Ray bought a parcel of land joining the southeast half of his father’s land and a half mile of Indian Creek School, and on Indian Creek.  The house there was a three-room bungalow, where he took Donnie as a young bride.  Ray heard somehow that the community planned a shivaree that night so he and Donnie took their bed roll and went to Indian Creek as it was near.  The crowd could not find them in the house so some of them started to the creek with their noise makers.  Ray took off and left Donnie.  He stayed gone until they all left.  Nevertheless, she stayed with him until they celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary.

About five years later they bought another acreage about a mile north of the Coleman to Baird road where they built a six room home.  Just below the house, which was built on the side of the hill, there was a garden spot, tank and windmill.  They were good gardeners and raised many vegetables, watermelons and corn.  Donnie canned all they could use and shared with her neighbors and relatives.  They were typical farmers of the times, raising their food, small grains, grain, feed and cotton.  Ray had a good herd of cattle, white-faced Herefords, and for a while fed his calves to a better grade for market.  In 1955, a group of Mozelle High school students visited Ray’s feeding operation.  Both Ray and Donnie were active in the community of Indian Creek and county activities, such as stock show for 4-H, Rodeo Association, Feeder-Breeder Association and Home Economics work, and County Farm Bureau.

They retired about 1973, selling the band to Kenneth Greaves.  They lived in the house for a while and then moved to Coleman.  In 1981, they had to give up their home, due to ill health and lived in Holiday Hill Care Center, west of Coleman.  He was in Coleman West Ward School in 1910.  They were members of the Church of Christ in Coleman.