On June 12, 2022 the Gates of Heaven flew open wide and Ronnie ran into the waiting arms of Jesus! Ronnie was born on Oct. 19, 1942 in Wayne, Oklahoma. The daughter of Ronald "Curly" Barger and Mamie Kathleen (Dozier) Dowdy. She was the youngest of four daughters and her parents insisted upon keeping the name they had selected for their child in hopes they would finally have a son. Ever the rebel, their new baby had a different plan and made her grand entrance into the world as a glorious baby girl.

For a few years, Ronnie's family lived in Bellflower, California, but 1948 marked their move to Tenmile, Oregon. Ronnie attended Douglas High School and graduated in 1960. Instead of entering the real world donning "peace beads," ever the renegade, Ronnie opted for dog tags and joined the United States Marine Corps right out of high school. While in the USMC she met and married George Rego and they had four children.

In 1968, Ronnie and her children moved home to Winston, Oregon, where she fell in love with Royce Bates. They wed on Oct. 6, 1969, and to use the words of her then children: "he married us."

Royce made it very clear and very loud to all who would listen that Ronnie was truly the love of his life, and while Ronnie tended to keep her feelings more private, anyone who knew her knew her affection for Royce was equal to (or quite possibly greater than) his love for her. They welcomed a child together in 1971.

During the course of their marriage, Royce and Ronnie moved their family to many beautiful areas of Oregon before settling back down in Winston, Oregon in 1988.

Ronnie is survived by her sisters Mitzi Sulffridge and Karen (Ken) Hull. Her children, Andrea (Chris) Miner, Joe Bates, and Lesley Roderick (Ric Bennewate). Grandchildren Christen (Devon) Buck, Nicholas (Crystal) Miner, Joshua (Tabatha) Roderick, Timothy (Annelise) Roderick, Stephen (Jamie) Roderick, Nathaniel (Sabrina) Roderick, and 14 great-grandchildren.

Ronnie made her debut in Heaven to an audience of not only Jesus but those loved ones who have gone before her: her dear husband Royce Dean Bates, children George and Victoria Rego, sister Janis Prowell, parents Curly Dowdy, Mamie Dowdy, and step-mother Ruth Dowdy and son-in-law Dennis Roderick. In proper terms, Ronnie Ray was a fighter, but the real truth of the matter is that Ronnie Ray was (as her grandchildren would say) a badass. Like a fine wine perfecting with age, her tenacity and humor and wit and badassness got better and more endearing the older she became. She was a woman who up and moved to Alaska for two months just for the adventure of it. A woman who waged war with multiple forms of cancer for the last two decades of her life but didn't let it stop her from living. A woman who at age 70 got a massive tattoo on her calf just because it was something she had always wanted to do. Who at 75 jumped out of an airplane and free-fell a mile before opening her chute. She embraced experiences, laughed really, REALLY loudly and freely, doled out encouragement, and was a naturally loving and compassionate caretaker.

Her life will be celebrated Friday, July 1st, at 2 p.m. at Garden Valley Church, Roseburg, Oregon. All are welcome to attend. Taylor's Family Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.