Mr. Joseph 'Earl' Ray

September 5, 1936 - March 18, 2022

A funeral service for Mr. Joseph ‘Earl’ Ray, 85 of Oxford, will be on Monday, March 21, 2022, at 12:00 pm in the Toby Miller Chapel at Miller Funeral Home. Bro. Jerry Starling and Brad Adcock will be officiating. A burial will follow the service at Forestlawn Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends on the same day from 11:00 am until the time of the service. Mr. Ray passed away on March 18, 2022. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Betty McNeal Ray; children, Richard Brent Ray (Angie); granddaughter, Meaghan Bannister (Jerome); great grandson, Lawson Bannister; sister in law, Janice Fowler, and several nieces, nephews, and extended family members and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, Earnest and Myrtle Ray, three siblings, and his daughter in law, Sherry Ray. Pallbearers will be Fred Prater, John Durham, Jerome Bannister, Woody Adcock, Brad Adcock, and Justin Thurman. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Hartwell Lodge 101 and members of the Malcom Hester Sunday School Class at Lakeview Baptist Church. Mr. Ray was a 1955 graduate of Piedmont High School. Mr. Ray served our country proudly in the United States Army from 1959-1962. After his Army service, he joined the National Guard. Mr. Ray retired from Winn Dixie after 43 years of service. Mr. Ray was a member of Lakeview Baptist Church. He was active in his church and served on the benevolence committee. He loved his church and his church family. Mr. Ray was a kind and gentle man who enjoyed the simpler things in life. He loved his family deeply and will be greatly missed by all those who loved him. In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made to the building fund at Lakeview Baptist Church. The family would like to extend a very special thank you to Amedisys Hospice, especially Tamaka, and Dr. Vance Moore, for the love and care shown to Mr. Ray and his family.