Tom Ray III

Deacon Tom Ray III was born in Denmark, South Carolina, on Friday, December 16, 1938. He was the second eldest son of the union of Tom Ray Jr. and Earmer (Kearse) Ray. Tom was educated in the Denmark Public School System and graduated from Voorhees High School/Junior College. After graduating from college, he served in the Air Force for a stint of eight years.

In Brooklyn, New York, on March 14, 1961, Tom was united in holy matrimony to the love of his life, Della LaRose Jefferson. Three beautiful daughters: Sabriner, Cynthia, and Michelle were born to the union of this marriage.

Tom was employed by the United States Postal Service for over thirty-nine years. As a faithful, dedicated, and loyal Man of God, he became a charter member of the Emmanuel Community Baptist Church where he was ordained as a Deacon. His other leadership positions included Sunday school superintendent, church treasurer, and adult class Sunday school teacher. Due to his gifted and special ability to meaningfully read, memorize, and quote scriptures, Tom was known as the ‘Walking Bible.’

His hobbies included but were not limited to counting coins, listening to Handel’s Messiah, enjoying the voice of Lynda Randle’s song, ‘God on the Mountain,’ as well as the artistic violin sounds of ‘The Devil went to Georgia,’ and songs by Kenny Rogers. Tom’s favorite hymn was entitled ‘A Christian Home.’

Tom loved all kinds of sports including basketball, tennis, football, and golf. He was known to accurately predict all winners in each team’s basketball brackets of March Madness Tournaments. Tom also enjoyed consuming all kinds of food, especially ribs, roast beef, fish, pizza, sweet-iced tea, hot coffee, and lemon milkshakes.

Tom was a loving and loyal husband. He and Della were traditionally an integral team. It was their joy to plan and to successfully work together on special occasions and events that included church ‘holydays,’ anniversaries, birthdays, and family gatherings.

Blessed with eighty-three years of life, our beloved Tom Ray III went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, June 11, 2022. In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by his wife of fifty-three years, Della La Rose Jefferson Ray; daughter; Sabriner Ray-Cotton; brothers, Hampton, MacArthur, and Chester Ray; and sisters, Carol Williams, Regina Walker, and May Ethel Holloman.

Loving memories are cherished by his daughters, Cynthia Marie Ray and Michelle Elaine Ray; sister, Ruth Lewis; brothers, Arnell Kearse and Anthony Ray; and son-in-law, Clifton Lee Cotton.

The memory of Deacon Tom Ray III will live on in perpetuity and will always be remembered and cherished by all who knew and befriended him.

A special thanks to Echo Manor and Summit Hospice staff for their special care, concern, dedication, and respect for Deacon Tom Ray III.