American Legion Auxiliary National President
Pam Ray, National President
Department of Illinois: Urbana Unit 71
Eligibility: Through late father, Clay Lofton, who served during the Korean War and WWII.
Offices Held: Served numerous unit-, district-, and department-level offices and chairmanships. National: chair of Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, ALA Girls Nation, Junior Activities, National Security, Membership, Constitution & Bylaws, and Children & Youth committees. Served on the National Executive Committee and ALA Strategic Planning Committee; also served as vice chair of Americanism, Public Relations, and Junior Activities committees, as well as currently serving as American Legion Auxiliary national vice president.
Professional/personal background
Pam is a 69-year PUFL member of the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Illinois. When she was a pre-teen, her parents transferred her to Urbana Unit 71 so she could be an active Junior member. Pam never looked back. She has served in all Junior offices in her department, including Honorary Department Junior President in 1972. She continued her service in the ALA as an adult serving several offices in her unit, including president, historian, and sergeant-at-arms. She served as district president 2002-2003. On the department level, she also served several offices, including department president in 2010-2011. She was proud to serve with then-National President Carlene Ashworth as a Power of One girl!
Pam wanted to be a nurse from the young age of 3. She achieved that dream in 1977 and had a wonderful 47-year career. She loves caring for people who need her help. She has worked in the Burn Center, Pediatrics, Neurosurgery, and spent much of her career caring for head and neck cancer patients and their families. She has had family members suffer from this terrible illness and is able to assist families in understanding what is happening to their loved ones.
Pam is married to Harl “Butch” Ray. They have been married for 46 years. Butch is retired from the Secretary of State’s office in Illinois serving as director of Physical Services. Butch and Pam have two daughters. The oldest daughter is Dr. Sara Helmus, an associate Dean of Students at Morton College and loves teaching so much that she still teaches a chemistry lecture class. Sara is married to Jonathan and they have a beautiful husky, Siko. Pam and Butch’s youngest daughter, Ami, is a master’s degree licensed counselor. She also works at a law firm as their office manager and paralegal. Ami has two wonderful children. Chloe is 14 and Ben is 11. They are definitely Butch and Pam’s pride and joy.
“I am so proud of my family. My parents are no longer on this earth, but I know they are cheering me on from up above as I take this step to serve the organization that they raised me in,” said Pam. “What an incredible honor this will be for me and my family.”
Pam’s passion has always been helping people. She has found that the ALA’s mission is a way to continue doing that. Her family is her other passion. What better way to bring the two together than with a theme of Mission Driven, Family Focused.
