William L. Ray

William Lemar Ray, also known as Lee and Skii, passed away in Las Vegas, NV on June 11, 2020 Lee was born in riverside, California July 1, 1982 to Bruce Batiste and Valarie Ray Ward. He grew up in a very loving family that expanded from Riverside to Oakland and Las Vegas. He was an exceptional young man and loved being adventurous and playful. At the age of 3 he would run through the Ray family home after a bath with a towel tied around his neck like a cape thinking he was Superman. When he was 12, his curiosity drove him to constantly disassemble and reassemble electronic devices such as radios and appliances to discover how they functioned. After graduating high school, Lee began his journey as an adult weaving his way in the world of work. He dabbled in construction and eventually became an electrician. As he grew older, he continued to care for his family, always the friendly Superman in the room. He enjoyed music, fashion, dancing, and telling elaborate stories with his 'DeeBo' sarcasm and a devious smirk on his face. He was blessed by God to be a father figure to his first niece Nile and eventually welcomed 3 children, Omari, Jaylah and William Jr.
As he grew older and larger, his size led him to take up Ninjutsu where he learned discipline and agility. He mastered this skill so well that he was invited to a Ninjutsu tournament where he met Steven Segal. Lee loved his little brother Derrick. He always protected him and made sure he knew he was the boss. He also spent many hours with his cousins as he treated them like brothers teaching them how to be tough and walk like a ninja. He loved the fiercest pit bull and the gentlest cat. He was able to train them with q snap of his finger or with his famous finger point. The gym was his second home. Many photos of him reveal his six pack under tight T-shirts. He loved to lift weights. It gave him peace and serenity and motivated others to work out and strong.
Lee enjoyed and loved being with friends and family, especially his children. His love for all children in his life is evident in the outpouring of well wishes and tributes as they shared memories of him coming around; he was their Superman who came to play. Lee lived his last days saying goodbye to those he loved in his own way; very loving and unselfishly thinking of his mother, his children and his siblings He leaves for us to cherish, his essence, so powerful it surrounds us like the sky.