Randolph Richard “Randy” Ray, 58, was born in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, Michigan, on Feb. 24, 1959. He died unexpectedly March 7, 2017, (officially called on March 9), at his home in the Lake Burton community, Rabun County, of natural causes.
Immediate family surviving are parents, Dale Carney Ray Sr. and Barbara Jean McDaniel Ray, of Atlanta, siblings, Dale C. Ray, Jr. and family of Suwanee, Gregory Olin Ray of Lawrenceville, and Geoffrey Andrew Ray and family of Asheville, North Carolina. His maternal grandmother is Emma Sue Adams McDaniel, 100, of Senoia.
Randy was retired on disability after a major stroke in 2011. He had worked for a decade for The Home Depot at locations in Atlanta, and transferred in 2005 to Clayton.
Randy grew up in the Morningside-Lenox Park neighborhood of Atlanta, attending Atlanta’s public schools and graduating from Northside High School. Randy received the Bachelor of Business Administration degree with honors from Georgia State University.
Randy was a man of exceptional Christian faith, and spent his years after the stroke working to get his spiritual health in good order, and being the best son and brother and uncle and friend that he knew how to be. He would say that the blessing of the stroke and his aphasia, was that he learned to listen to others.
Randy is greatly missed by his family and his dog, Woody, with each struggling with the shock of his passing.
Services to honor Randy’s life are scheduled for Saturday, March 18, with a funeral at 11 a.m. at Morningside Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, with the Rev. Dr. Baron Mullis officiating, followed by a graveside service and burial in mid-afternoon at the Senoia City Cemetery, Senoia, Coweta County, and the Rev. Eric Mays officiating.
Arrangements are by H. M. Patterson and Son, 1020 Spring Street, NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30309.
The Clayton Tribune, March 16, 2017