Ray was the son of Reverend Clifford Hundley, an Assembly of God minister, and Elizabeth Mann Hundley, and he loved to talk about the years he spent growing up in a family for whom service to the Lord was a constant. Their humble homes (ministerial positions kept them on the move) were filled with music, mischief (the four oldest children were boys), and sometimes miracles. Ray’s mother was born in Scotland, and he always remembered her singing to him, “You take the high road, and I’ll take the low, and I’ll get to Scotland before ye; Me and my true love will never smile on the bonny bonny banks of Loch Lomand.” At the age of fourteen, Ray and his brothers Bob and Eddie became evangelists, traveling, preaching, and singing all over the South.
After five-and-a-half years, Ray joined the Air Force during the Korean War. He never quit bragging about being voted “Airman of the Month” for the whole Air Force. Upon leaving the service and with the call of God on his life, Ray attended Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, graduating in 1958, and became an ordained Assembly of God minister, credentials which he held for 67 years. Over the course of his life, he pastored churches in Missouri, Louisiana, and Indiana--3 years in Ozark, Missouri, 5 years in Republic, Missouri, 10 years in Joplin, Missouri, 7 years in Lake Charles, Louisiana, 4 years in Indianapolis, Indiana, finishing up his full-time ministry with 23 years in Raytown, Missouri. (In Lake Charles, Ray pastored Glad Tidings Assembly and oversaw the construction of the first building on the Texas Street property.) In every position, he either remodeled a facility or constructed a new one after building up the church attendance and finances. In retirement, Ray paraphrased the entire New Testament the first year and later had it published. Moving forward, he continued to serve his Lord and Savior by preaching and teaching whenever he could.
Ray is survived by his loving wife Melba of Lake Charles, son, Robin Hundley of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, and four grandchildren, Chad (Amber) Burgbacher of Jacksonville, Florida, Jason (Jessica) Burgbacher of Summerville, South Carolina, Lindy (Josh) Johnson, missionary to Nepal, and Hobie (Meagan) Hundley of Pleasant Hill, Missouri. Also mourning his loss are the family he gained by marriage, stepdaughters Faith Ferguson of Lake Charles and Lane Ramsay of Flora, Mississippi, stepson Gary (Sheila) Seaman of Huntington, Texas, and seven more grandchildren. In addition, he is survived by sisters Charlotte Sheffield and Linda Hundley of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, 23 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, one sister, his wife of 58 years, Wanda Clark Hundley, and daughter Tania Rae Burgbacher.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at Hixson Funeral Home of Lake Charles beginning at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and will resume at Glad Tidings Church of Lake Charles on Sunday, September 26, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. when a Celebration of Life will begin. Burial will be on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at Greene County Memorial Cemetery in Paragould, AR. Brother Gary Evers will be officiating at the services.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com for the Hundley family.
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