Mrs. Raney (or "Memaw" as many called her) lived the best possible life. All her love and attention was directed and dedicated toward nurturing and raising her large family including her brother Jim Murdock and his family. She was truly a Matriarch.
She married Marlin Wright after graduating high school at the young age of 16. Together they raised a family of 6 in Pleasant Grove. Marlin and Joy were the staples of the community helping the school and church grow, being proud PTA attendees, and sewing more costumes than you can imagine. She was a beautiful seamstress, and crocheted blankets and scarves relentlessly, donating them to charitable causes. Joy loved Christmas the most. Every year she bought gifts and filled stockings she had made for the entire 60+ family members and brought them all together to celebrate “Thanksmas”.
Joy loved helping people and was everyone's cheerleader. She worked at St. Michael Hospital for 32 years, recruiting nurses from overseas to come work in the US. After retirement, Joy stayed on as a volunteer cutting obituaries out of the newspaper and sending hand-written and addressed sympathy cards to the families on the hospital's behalf. This was a well-received program for many years until she couldn't write well anymore.
After celebrating over 49 years of marriage to Marlin, he passed away in 2000. Joy continued to take charge of every detail of their life together. They were the developers of Wright Ridge subdivision in Pleasant Grove on the property the family grew up on, and co-owners of Wright Brothers Sheet Metal & Roofing on Broad Street started by Marlin's father in 1932. They and were outstanding citizens.
In 2002, Richard Raney came back in to Joy’s life. Richard's family used to babysit Joy while her mother Mary taught school in Nash. Richard stands by the line that he has loved her since she was 5 years old. Both Richard and Joy grew up to take different paths, but after Richard's beloved wife Jenny passed away after their 49 years of marriage, he asked her out for coffee and showed up with a single rose. They were married 6 weeks later and have spent the last 16 years together enjoying trips to Hawaii, cruises, ball games, Branson, and so much more. They both took care of their spouses whose health had failed and were fortunate enough to have found each other in order to enjoy their Golden Years. Richard was fiercely protective of Joy and took care of her these past 2 years alongside Joy's family. Richard played "Papaw" to the dozens of great-grandchildren. To most, it was the only Papaw they knew. Joy took in Richard's family as her own and loved them as if they were hers. Richard continued to bring Joy red roses regularly throughout their marriage and loved her to the end and beyond. Although they will be buried with Jenny and Marlin, their love is immortalized in the hearts of their family.
Mrs. Raney was diagnosed with ALS in July 2016. She outlived the life expectancy by one and a half years. Even though her body wouldn't support her, her mind was sharp, and she was aware of most everything going on around her. She accepted the disease and her faith in God and Jesus Christ carried her to the end with dignity and grace. She will be badly missed.
Joy is survived by her husband, Richard Raney; son and daughter-in-law, Ken and Linda Wright; son, Mike Wright, son and daughter-in-law, Charles and Anna Wright; daughter, Kerri Wright-Moss; brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Kathy Murdock, sister-in-law, Martha Murdock, son-in-law, Pete Moss; special family members, Vicky Raney-Stapleton, Ricky Raney and Stacy Raney; grandchildren and their spouses, Mechelle and Frank Thomas, Jeff and Jennifer Wright, Shane and Casey Wright, Cody and Clancy Moss, Preston and Samantha Moss, Clint and Sydney Wright, Kurt and Kassy Wright, Ethan Forrester, Chase and Macie Burkhalter, Zac Burkhalter; great grandchildren, Catherine Thomas-Johnson and Nate Johnson, Jake Thomas, Sophie Bott, Noah Simpson, Gracie Wright, Rees Wright, Kason Wright, Jaxon Wright, Jacob Wright, Jaylin Dodds, Kayden Kirby, Miranda Wright, Makayla Wright, Kolt Wright, Benjamin Moss, Kambren Zaliski, Gavin Moss, Brycen Zaliski, Alexander Moss, Finley Moss, Kaitlyn Mitchell, Journey and Jayden Pope, Ella and Indy Burkhalter.
Services will be 11 a.m., Friday, January 18, 2019 at East Memorial Chapel - Moores Lane with Brother Paul Murdock officiating, under the direction of East Funeral Home - Moores Lane.
Family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thursday, January 17, 2019 at the funeral home
Online tributes may be made at www.eastfuneralhomes.com.
