Ray St. Peter

A celebration of the life of Ray St. Peter, 83, of Beaumont, will be Sunday, February 8, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. in the Claybar Kelley-Watkins Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow at Claybar Haven of Rest Cemetery. There will be a gathering of friends and family on Saturday, February 7, between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Serving as pallbearers will be Clay Womack, Richard Gilmore, Scott Kerr, Damon Kerr, John Paul Napleton, David Womack, Jerry Lovelady, Terry Watson, Christian Kerr, Dan Browning and Cruz St. Peter. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Jack Smith and Dr. Richard Gilmore.
Mr. St. Peter was born, February 14, 1925, in Blox, TX to Dennis and Marie St. Peter and passed away on February 5, 2009 in Houston.
Ray, known to family as Bud or Red, was born in Blox, Texas, attended grade school in Jasper and Junior and Senior High School in Beaumont where he graduated from Beaumont High School in l942. He joined the U. S. Navy to serve his country in World War II and worked at Pure Oil in Beaumont for several years before going to college. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas and his ASCP Medical Technology Degree from the University of Texas
Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. He also attended Lamar Junior College in Beaumont and West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas.
Ray began a career in blood banking at the W.E. and Lela Stewart Blood Center in Tyler as Technical Director before taking the position at the Coffee Memorial Blood Center in Amarillo, Texas, as its Technical Director. In l957, at the request of local physicians, he returned to Beaumont to start a Blood Bank in Beaumont. As founding director of the Beaumont Blood Center now LifeShare, he served as Executive Director for thirty years. Following a merger of the two blood centers in l987, he became Vice President and Director of Hospital Relations at LifeShare and served in that capacity until his retirement in l992.
Ray's dedication to saving lives and helping families in Southeast Texas through his work and community service is unsurpassed. He was very active during his working years and on the Board of Directors for the Young Men's Business Leage of Beaumont where he served as the Chairman for the Southeast Texas State Fair in l967 and was a Keyman. He was a member of Masonic Lodge No. 286 and a Shriner, an active member and officer of the Beaumont Lions Club, the l982 President of the American Red Cross and was a member of the Beaumont Jaycees. He also served on the Board of Directors of Citizens State Bank, now Compass Bank and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Beaumont.
Ray was very active in Professional Associations such as the American Society of Clinical Pathology, the American Medical Technology Association, and the American Association of Blood Banks where he served on the Inspection and Accreditation Committee. He was very active in and served on the Board of Directors of the South Central Association of Blood Banks from l976 to l983 and served on the Board of Directors for the South Central Association of Blood Banks Foundation. He served on the Committee for Red Cell Immunization for The American Blood Resources Association, was active in the Texas Hospital Association.
In l967, Ray founded Blood and Plasma Research, Inc. of Beaumont, opening centers in Port Arthur,
Eagle Pass, College Station, Houston and Metarie, Louisiana, and served as its President and Chairman
of the Board of Directors until his death.
Ray loved life and took much joy in entertaining and making life happy for others. His sense of humor was contagious, and will be long remembered for all the jokes he loved to tell. Aside from his dedication to others, he loved being with and spending time with his family. His children and grandchildren meant the world to him.
Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Jeannine St. Peter; daughters, Kristi Lovelady and husband, Jerry, of Beaumont, Rayann St. Peter of Beaumont, and Shelly Kerr and husband, Scott of Port Neches; grandchildren, Jean Elise Browning, Cruz St. Peter, and John Paul Napleton; and great grandchild Morgan Marie Browning.
The family would like to send a special thanks to his caretakers LaTosha Bias, Merce Chavis and Theresa Bias who loved and cared deeply for him during his last few years and to Kathy Boles for being such a loving friend and always coming to our rescue. Many thanks, too, to the firefighters/EMS technicians from Beaumont Fire station number 4, the EMS technicians Beaumont EMS and all the doctors and nurses who so lovingly provided his care.