Ray Mattox

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Ray Mattox

|image = Ray Mattox.jpg

|caption = Mattox in 1974

|birth_date = {{birth date|1927|03|10}}

|birth_place = Jesup, Georgia, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|2005|12|29|1927|03|10}}

|death_place = Winter Haven, Florida, U.S.

|office1 = Member of the
Florida House of Representatives
from Polk County

|term_start1 = 1957

|term_end1 = March 1967

|office2 = Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 56th district

|term_start2 = March 1967

|term_end2 = November 1968

|preceded2 = District established

|succeeded2 = Bob Brannen

|office3 = Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 57th district

|term_start3 = 1970

|term_end3 = 1972

|preceded3 = William H. Bevis

|succeeded3 = John J. Savage

|office4 = Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 49th district

|term_start4 = 1972

|term_end4 = 1976

|preceded4 = Jack Murphy

|succeeded4 = Bob Crawford

|party = Democratic

|children = 2{{Cite web|url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2006/01/01/mccheadray-mattoxmcchead/26625572007/|title=Ray Mattox|work=The Ledger|date=December 31, 2005|access-date=August 23, 2022}}

|alma_mater = Florida Southern College
University of Florida

}}

Ray Mattox (March 10, 1927{{Citation|title=The Florida Handbook|page=406|date=1969|publisher=Peninsular Publishing Company}}{{Citation|title=The Clerk's Manual for the Use of the Legislature of the State of Florida|page=134|date=1978|publisher=The State|location=Florida}} – December 29, 2005) was an American politician.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/316373193/|title=State's Loyalty Oath May Be Revised|work=Tampa Bay Times|location=Tampa, Florida|date=September 26, 1964|access-date=August 23, 2022|page=14|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}} He served as a Democratic member for the 49th, 56th and 57th district of the Florida House of Representatives.{{Cite web|url=http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/House19672001.html|title=House of Representatives|access-date=August 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113095046/http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/House19672001.html|archive-date=January 13, 2018|url-status=live|via=Wayback Machine}}{{cite web|url=http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FileStores/Web/HouseContent/Approved/Public%20Guide/Uploads/Documents/house_counties_final.pdf |title=Membership of the Florida House of Representatives by County 1845-2012|first=Robert|last=Ward|date=August 3, 2011|work=Florida House of Representatives|access-date=August 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316034642/https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FileStores/Web/HouseContent/Approved/Public%20Guide/Uploads/Documents/house_counties_final.pdf|archive-date=March 16, 2022|url-status=live|via=Wayback Machine}}

Mattox was born in Jesup, Georgia. He attended Florida Southern College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business economics in 1951, and the University of Florida where he earned a law degree in 1954. He practiced law in Winter Haven, Florida for 51 years. Mattox served in the United States Navy during World War II. He also served as a second lieutenant during the Korean War.

In 1957, Mattox was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, serving until 1976. He represented the 56th district from 1967 to 1968, the 57th district from 1968 to 1972, and the 49th district from 1972 to 1976.

File:Ray Mattox with unidentified man.jpg, 1969]]

Mattox was defeated for election to the Florida Senate in 1968 and the United States House of Representatives in 1976.{{Citation|title=Ray Mattox, 78, Lawyer|url=https://eu.theledger.com/story/news/2006/01/01/ray-mattox-78-lawyer/25748348007/|work=The Ledger}} He died in December 2005 of a heart attack in Winter Haven, Florida, at the age of 78.