Ray is a native of Wichita Falls and did not think must about history until he and his wife, Judy, took a trip to Washington D.C. in 1980s. It was then their love for America, all that it was, is, and can be, became their passion. They begin collecting Civil War and Victorian Era artifacts. Ray's collection contains both Confederate and U.S. Military artifacts and Judy's collection of women's and children's dresses span the years of 1860 thru the turn of the century. The military collection is one of the largest private collections in the world and the dress collection is exquisite. After many years, they wanted to share their collections with the public in a first class museum. They also wanted everyone who visited to know of the personal sacrifice of a generation who lived during a most turbulent time of our nation's history. It is the desire for every visitor to pause and appreciate the cost of freedom and leave with a renewed sense of patriotism. Ray is the President of the Board for the non-profit Texas Civil War Museum. Judy is the curator for the dress collection and Ray serves as curator and exhibit designer for the military collection and the Texas Confederate Museum collection.