Harry L. Raley

Rev. Raley was born August 14, 1925, Bethune, South Carolina. He attended Berry College in Georgia before entering the Navy during World War II. During the war, he felt God’s call to the ministry. He earned a B.A. from Furman University in 1948 and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas in 1951. He and Frances Bibb of Drew, MS met in seminary and wed in 1951. The Raleys served in churches in North and South Carolina before they were appointed as missionaries with the Foreign Mission Board, SBC, serving their Lord and loving the Chinese people of Taiwan from 1954 to 1991.

Their work in Taiwan involved many areas of Mandarin Chinese ministry. Rev. Raley’s primary work involved developing and growing churches. This included mentoring young Chinese pastors and training them in witnessing. Harry was known for sharing his faith with friends, strangers on the street, and everywhere he went. A Chinese colleague once said that Harry was “one of the best seed-planters I know. It’s in his nature to tell people about Jesus”. At various times, he served as treasurer, business manager, Baptist Bookstore manager, and chairman of the Taiwan Baptist Mission. In 1989, the government of Taiwan presented him with the “Good Man, Good Deeds” award for his service to their country, an award rarely given to foreign residents.

Following retirement in 1991, the Raleys continued to serve. For six months Rev. Raley was interim pastor for Grace Baptist Church English congregation in Taipei, Taiwan. They ministered to Chinese for two summers in Alaska and volunteered on a continuing basis in the Chinese Christian Church of Greater Jackson, MS. Harry also volunteered as Prayer Ministry Coordinator for the MS Baptist Convention from 1996 to 2009.

He was preceded in death by his parents Lewis Raley and Lola Blackmon Raley, and sisters Elizabeth Byrd, Ruth Rodgers, and Lois Dease. He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Frances Bibb Raley of Clinton, MS; son Harry L. Raley Jr. (Lynn) and wife Rachel Heard of Jackson, MS; son Bruce Raley and wife Pamela Sadler Raley of Houston, TX; son David Raley and wife Frances Usrey Raley of Benton, AR; daughter Beth Raley Harris and husband Scott Harris of Nashville, TN; his grandchildren Gillian Raley, Johney, Troy, and Lane Hopkins, Elizabeth and Jonathan Harris; and four great grandchildren.

The visitation will be Tuesday, January 8, 2013 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at Alta Woods Baptist Church, Jackson, MS. The funeral service is Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at Alta Woods Baptist Church with the family available for visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Lakewood Memorial Park, Clinton.