Ray helped free 26 students from infamous 1976 incident.
In his final days, Frank Edward Ray was visited by many
of the schoolchildren he helped save in the Chowchilla school bus
kidnapping 35 years before.
Mr. Ray, who died Thursday morning at the age of 91 from complications of cirrhosis of the liver, helped free 26 students in the infamous 1976 incident in which brothers Richard and James Schoenfeld, and Frederick Woods kidnapped the group and buried them alive in a rock quarry in Livermore.
"I believe he will be remembered as a hero, someone who was concerned about the children of our community and the children of the buses that he drove," said Jacki Flanagan, Mr. Ray's friend and manager of the Chowchilla Chamber of Commerce. "I think he'll be remembered for a long, long time."
The kidnappers drove the victims around for roughly 11 hours before stopping at the Livermore quarry, where the 27 hostages were forced into a buried moving van.
The trio planned to demand a $5 million ransom, but Mr. Ray and several of the older children were able to stack mattresses and climb out of an opening at the top of the buried van. Mr. Ray and the boys pushed open a metal lid, which was covered with two 100-pound industrial batteries, and cleared away some debris. That freed the victims after 16 hours underground.
Mr. Ray, who died Thursday morning at the age of 91 from complications of cirrhosis of the liver, helped free 26 students in the infamous 1976 incident in which brothers Richard and James Schoenfeld, and Frederick Woods kidnapped the group and buried them alive in a rock quarry in Livermore.
"I believe he will be remembered as a hero, someone who was concerned about the children of our community and the children of the buses that he drove," said Jacki Flanagan, Mr. Ray's friend and manager of the Chowchilla Chamber of Commerce. "I think he'll be remembered for a long, long time."
The kidnappers drove the victims around for roughly 11 hours before stopping at the Livermore quarry, where the 27 hostages were forced into a buried moving van.
The trio planned to demand a $5 million ransom, but Mr. Ray and several of the older children were able to stack mattresses and climb out of an opening at the top of the buried van. Mr. Ray and the boys pushed open a metal lid, which was covered with two 100-pound industrial batteries, and cleared away some debris. That freed the victims after 16 hours underground.
In his final days, Frank Edward Ray was visited by many of the
schoolchildren he helped save in the Chowchilla school bus kidnapping 35
years before. Mr. Ray, who died Thursday morning at the age of 91 from
complications of cirrhosis of the liver.
He is fondly remembered by family and others for his positive involvement in the community and selfless nature.
"He was always worried about somebody else," said his granddaughter Robyn Gomes. "I think that's why he lasted so long, because he knew we needed him. He was our rock."
Mr. Ray was born in Le Grande on Feb 26, 1921. He moved to Chowchilla with his family and graduated from Chowchilla High School in 1940.
In 1942, he married his wife, Odessa, and bought a ranch in Dairyland where they grew corn and alfalfa, and raised dairy cows.
June 30 would have been Mr. Ray and Odessa's 70th wedding anniversary, said Gomes. "They loved each other whole-heartedly. My grandpa adored her. They were always together."
Mr. Ray worked for Alview-Dairyland Union School District as a bus driver starting in the early 1950s. He retired in 1988.
David Rogers, Madera County supervisor for District 2, said Mr. Ray was a pillar of the community.
"Ed Ray, he was Chowchilla," Rogers said. "Naturally, he was the bus driver who was responsible for saving those kids' lives. But he won't be just remembered for that. He was a pillar of the Chowchilla community."
Mr. Ray is survived by his sister Esther Danieli, his wife, Odessa, his two sons, Glen and Danny, and their children.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/05/17/2841396/bus-driver-in-chowchilla-kidnapping.html
"He was always worried about somebody else," said his granddaughter Robyn Gomes. "I think that's why he lasted so long, because he knew we needed him. He was our rock."
Mr. Ray was born in Le Grande on Feb 26, 1921. He moved to Chowchilla with his family and graduated from Chowchilla High School in 1940.
In 1942, he married his wife, Odessa, and bought a ranch in Dairyland where they grew corn and alfalfa, and raised dairy cows.
June 30 would have been Mr. Ray and Odessa's 70th wedding anniversary, said Gomes. "They loved each other whole-heartedly. My grandpa adored her. They were always together."
Mr. Ray worked for Alview-Dairyland Union School District as a bus driver starting in the early 1950s. He retired in 1988.
David Rogers, Madera County supervisor for District 2, said Mr. Ray was a pillar of the community.
"Ed Ray, he was Chowchilla," Rogers said. "Naturally, he was the bus driver who was responsible for saving those kids' lives. But he won't be just remembered for that. He was a pillar of the Chowchilla community."
Mr. Ray is survived by his sister Esther Danieli, his wife, Odessa, his two sons, Glen and Danny, and their children.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/05/17/2841396/bus-driver-in-chowchilla-kidnapping.html
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