September 1, 1930 – May 9, 2025
Marvin Ray Buchorn, beloved dad, paw paw, great grandfather and friend, passed away peacefully at Lakehouse on Dixie in Pearland, Texas on May 9, 2025. He was 94 years old.
Ray was born on September 1, 1930, in Houston, Texas to Carl and Selma (nee Krueger) Buchorn. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in 1948. In 1953, he graduated from Rice University with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. While at Rice he was a member of the Naval ROTC. After graduating, he joined the Navy and served on the USS St. Paul during the Korean War.
Upon returning from Korea in 1956, he continued his education at the University of Houston.
In 1959, he married Mary Alice Rohde at St. John Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas. As members of the Porsche Club of America, the couple enjoyed a honeymoon touring Europe in their new car. In 1967 they moved to Friendswood, Texas and joined Hope Lutheran Church.
At the age of 18, Ray started working at Hughes Tool Co. (later Baker-Hughes). He continued working there until going to Korea. He returned to Hughes in 1956 and retired for the first time in 1998. He had started traveling to various parts of Asia in the late 1970s and quickly developed a love of the Asian people, their language and culture. This close relationship developed into a friendship that continued over multiple trips to China for work and pleasure and many trips by the Chinese to the plant in the Woodlands and Ray and Mary Alice’s home in Friendswood.
Ray loved to travel taking his family to Mexico, Singapore, Hong Kong and a cruise of the Hawaiian Islands plus many other trips. He also loved sharing his love of Astronomy with his grandchildren.
Ray is survived by his wife, Mary Alice of Friendswood; his son, Mark Buchorn and his wife Cheryl of Pearland; daughter Paige Hutchings and her husband, Randy of Alvin; and daughter Brook Williams of Friendswood. He is also survived by his sister, Carlene Schultz of Georgetown, TX.
He is also survived by 7 grandchildren: Zachary Buchorn and his wife Jessica of Pearland; Trevor Buchorn and his wife Candace of Pasadena; Cheyenne Strawn and her husband Ryan of Pearland; Paxton Phares of Cypress, Macailyn Phares of Friendswood; Nathaniel Williams and his wife Mackenzie of Houston; and Rayne Williams of Friendswood.
Ray is preceded in death by his parents Carl and Selma Buchorn and son-in-law Forrest Williams.
Services will be at Hope Lutheran Church, 1804 S. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, TX 77546, June 16, 2025 at 11:00am. Visitation begins at 10:00am.
Interment will be at Hope Lutheran Columbarium at Hope Lutheran Church in Friendswood.
In lieu of flowers, donations be made in Ray’s name to Hope Lutheran Church or to the Forrest Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund at HomeTown Bank in Friendswood.
