Roxanne Provenzano Ray passed from this life at the age of 47 on Sept. 5, 2010. A light that will never be replaced, a spirit that exuded the joy of Jesus and his love to all she met, Roxanne rushed to embrace life, whether it was snowboarding down Baldy, running a marathon over Galena or recently surfing the waves in California. Now she has rushed on before us to celebrate her next adventure in the arms of Jesus.
Roxanne was born Jan. 23, 1963, to Sam and Gertrude Provenzano in Rochester, N.Y. She attended Westbridge Elementery School and went on to complete her education at Churchville Chili and Jack Marshall high schools.
After school she traveled to Phoenix, Ariz., where she met and married Wade Burwell. Wade and Roxanne welcomed their one son and Roxanne's pride and joy, Alex Burwell, on Nov. 24, 1987. Wade and Roxanne moved to Sun Valley in 1988 where they resided for the next several years. Wade and Roxanne later divorced but Roxanne had grown to love the Wood River Valley and stayed to make the area a home for her and Alex.
Roxanne worked for Sun Valley Co. for 10 years and left her position as manager of the Sun Valley Deli to start a new position at Idaho Lumber. During this time, Roxanne experienced a major life change. In 1997 she found a personal relationship with her Lord Jesus. She says that her life really began in those years with her commitment to live for God. She daily shared that faith and how God had transformed her with family, friends and co-workers.
She found a career at Sun Valley Title in the real estate industry in 2000 and she was able to work with members of her "second" family, Cassie Jones and Kerensa Majerus. Cassie invited her to visit her church, hoping to introduce her to Doug Ray. Doug and Roxanne met, were engaged in two weeks and were married on Aug. 25, 2001, just two months later. They were friends, companions and true soul mates brought together by their mutual love of God.
Roxanne continued to work at Sun Valley Title until 2002 when she went to Amertitle, where she trained in the escrow department with Marla Mink. She returned to work for Sun Valley Title in 2004 where she worked as an escrow officer for the next four years. Doug was busy building up his Blaine County Home Inspection business and teaching fly fishing on the side. Doug and Roxanne left the valley in the early part of 2009 and moved to San Juan Capistrano, Calif., to be close to Doug's family. Roxanne went to work for Chicago Title and Doug started attending Saddleback College. They were residing there when she passed away.
Roxanne received great pleasure in serving and worshipping the Lord and worked diligently in her church teaching Sunday school and organizing and participating in women's Bible studies. Roxanne's friends will remember her as vivacious and funny, always giggling as she plotted her next prank. Everyone had to honor her "birthday month" and provide her with Baskin Robbins ice-cream cake. She was known to all as the "yard-saleing" queen in her quest for another pair of high-heeled shoes to make her look taller—no more short Italian jokes, please. But with all her activities and pursuits, she was the most content when she spent time with Doug, especially walking their dog, Stanley.
She is survived by her husband and best friend, Doug Ray, and beloved son, Alex Burwell; her father and step-mother, Sam and Shirley Provenzano; her mother, Gertrude Tucker; sisters, Lisa Provenzano and Debra Caliri; nephews and nieces, Jimmy and Samantha Cavallaro, Paul Saboti and Laurie Ann Provenzano, and Ashley and Sabrina Caliri; and one brother-in-law, Joe Cavallaro. She was preceded in death by her sister, Laurie Ann Provenzano.
A celebration-of-life service will be held Saturday, Sept. 25, at 2 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church of the Big Wood. In lieu of flowers, please bring pictures and stories to share.
