Obituary for Charity Mae Ray
Charity Mae Ray was born on June 1, 1937. She was called home to begin her heavenly journey on October 2, 2020. Charity was the daughter of John and Augusta Briscoe Ray and sister to Dorothy Ray Coone and Christina Ray Rucker all of whom are deceased.
She is survived by her loving nieces Linda Rogers of Dalzell, SC and Connie Overcum of Morristown, TN, as well as a host of great and great great nieces and nephews.
Charity was a fifth-generation resident of the greater Mars Hill area. Her family first lived in a log cabin near the present Ingles grocery store in Mars Hill, later building their home in the Long Ridge Community. Charity and her sister Dorothy resided in their parents homeplace before passing.
She attended the Mars Hill Anderson Rosenwald School in the Long Ridge Community and graduated from Allen High School for Girls in Asheville. After graduating from high school, she moved to New York City and worked for some years before returning home to help take care of her sick father.
In 1970, Charity began working at Mars Hill College as a secretary, later becoming a staff member in the curriculum Lab and Renfroe Library, where she retired with over thirty-eight years of service.
Charity always held a great love and devotion to Mt. Olive Baptist Church. As a member she was the church pianist and along with her uncle Manuel Briscoe, she helped organize the Mt. Olive Singers. They performed gospel music in churches throughout Madison County. “In that way, we made many friends in Madison County,” she said.
Charity was an excellent cook and enjoyed helping Mt. Olive Baptist Church hold their annual fish fry. She was also featured in the State magazine for her famous apple stack cake!
Charity’s love for art and painting “was a gift, it wasn’t anything I learned,” she said. She began her art at age five at the Mars Hill Rosenwald School where the teacher allowed her to “doodle” as Charity described it. In retirement, she joined the weekly meeting Art Group, in Mars Hill, the Church Mice. Her watercolor paintings have brought pleasure to many near and far.
Charity worked to help rehabilitate the Rosenwald School Building where her art began. As an alumina, she served as a member of the Friends Group and member of their History Committee.
She also had a great love for plants and flowers and watching them grow. In her last years, she received great pleasure in feeding and observing her “wild friends,” the birds, squirrels, turkeys, and deer, feeding in her back yard.
Charity was also blessed to have two guardian angels, Flora Barnett, and Richard Dillingham while here on earth. Their friendship and devotion showed true Christian love. In addition to Flora and Richard the family would also like to thank the many residents of Mars Hill for keeping a watchful eye on Aunt Charity, everyone is truly appreciated.
A graveside service will be held 11:00am Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at Mt. Olive Baptist Church Cemetery. Due to the COVID-19 the family will have an open visitation Tuesday, October 6, from 10:00am until 4:00pm at Blue Ridge Funeral Service for those who would like to pay their respects to Charity.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blueridgefuneralservice.org.
She is survived by her loving nieces Linda Rogers of Dalzell, SC and Connie Overcum of Morristown, TN, as well as a host of great and great great nieces and nephews.
Charity was a fifth-generation resident of the greater Mars Hill area. Her family first lived in a log cabin near the present Ingles grocery store in Mars Hill, later building their home in the Long Ridge Community. Charity and her sister Dorothy resided in their parents homeplace before passing.
She attended the Mars Hill Anderson Rosenwald School in the Long Ridge Community and graduated from Allen High School for Girls in Asheville. After graduating from high school, she moved to New York City and worked for some years before returning home to help take care of her sick father.
In 1970, Charity began working at Mars Hill College as a secretary, later becoming a staff member in the curriculum Lab and Renfroe Library, where she retired with over thirty-eight years of service.
Charity always held a great love and devotion to Mt. Olive Baptist Church. As a member she was the church pianist and along with her uncle Manuel Briscoe, she helped organize the Mt. Olive Singers. They performed gospel music in churches throughout Madison County. “In that way, we made many friends in Madison County,” she said.
Charity was an excellent cook and enjoyed helping Mt. Olive Baptist Church hold their annual fish fry. She was also featured in the State magazine for her famous apple stack cake!
Charity’s love for art and painting “was a gift, it wasn’t anything I learned,” she said. She began her art at age five at the Mars Hill Rosenwald School where the teacher allowed her to “doodle” as Charity described it. In retirement, she joined the weekly meeting Art Group, in Mars Hill, the Church Mice. Her watercolor paintings have brought pleasure to many near and far.
Charity worked to help rehabilitate the Rosenwald School Building where her art began. As an alumina, she served as a member of the Friends Group and member of their History Committee.
She also had a great love for plants and flowers and watching them grow. In her last years, she received great pleasure in feeding and observing her “wild friends,” the birds, squirrels, turkeys, and deer, feeding in her back yard.
Charity was also blessed to have two guardian angels, Flora Barnett, and Richard Dillingham while here on earth. Their friendship and devotion showed true Christian love. In addition to Flora and Richard the family would also like to thank the many residents of Mars Hill for keeping a watchful eye on Aunt Charity, everyone is truly appreciated.
A graveside service will be held 11:00am Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at Mt. Olive Baptist Church Cemetery. Due to the COVID-19 the family will have an open visitation Tuesday, October 6, from 10:00am until 4:00pm at Blue Ridge Funeral Service for those who would like to pay their respects to Charity.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blueridgefuneralservice.org.