Alfred Ray Mathis

A. Ray Mathis, multi-millionaire private investor in Real Estate, Mortgages, the Stock Market, and had a successful Law Practice for over 50 years, of West Palm Beach, FL and Charlotte, NC involuntarily departed this earthly Paradise on December 29, 2024 and descended into the secular Hell known as cremation after which my ashes will lay upon my beloved ground.

Folks this is not a cookie cutter obituary. Yes, it is a living obituary announcing my demise and a celebration of a good life well lived. Don't you just hate it when you attend an end-of-life service and the Minister embellishes the deceased so much that you wonder who the Minister is talking about or maybe you are in the wrong church? I had that happen more than once with some close acquaintances. So that's why I'm writing my own obituary since I have flown under the radar so much that nobody would know the extent of my experiences. I have been a practicing Hedonist for a long time. My motto was, “if it's not fun, don't do it", which has served me well. My base philosophy was, "don't do anything today that you have to think about tomorrow". At an early age I was innately able to discern the difference between right and wrong which allowed me to stay in my lane all my life. Meeting new people was my life blood until Covid 19 came along.

I was born incorrigible to the late Charles W. and Minnie Gavin Mathis on October 7, 1939, in Warsaw, NC. I had one sister, Frances Mathis Hudson of Turkey, NC, who was considered a Saint by me and many others. So, with the blessing of her church and the authority assumed by me, I was proud to pronounce her “Saint Frances of Turkey” in the Church among her friends. Miss Frances, as she was affectionately called, died in 2013, and left me with an empty void that I can't fill. Although we were born under the low rung of the socio- economic ladder, we were proud of our heritage and the way we lived our life.

My Father's legacy to me was some sage advice, two of which I will repeat here. He said, "Son, there are more pretty girls than one, and "work like you get paid”. Well, I think I can check off both boxes! I've enjoyed the women of my life until I didn't and I'm still working smart and hard and enjoying it. I don't know of anyone who ever bet against me and won!

Regrets? I have a few...not being age appropriate to lift my parents out of abject poverty and give them a better life...not having had a son in addition to my daughter...not having the talent to play the piano and I gaze at my bald head and wish I had hair, but you can't ask for everything!

After graduating from James Kenan High School in Warsaw, NC, I went from working as a gas station attendant, to attend and graduate from Campbell College, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The New York Institute of Finance under the aegis of the NYU Graduate School of Business in NYC, and matriculated at Duke and Carolina Law and received my Juris Doctor degree from the North Carolina Central School of Law at the young age of 41. In jest, several of my friends said that the N C Bar was the only bar I ever passed! I also taught.

I started my working career in the HR department at The Travelers Insurance in Charlotte and later transitioned to several major Wall Street firms such as Goodbody & Co., Bache, Merrill Lynch, and others specializing in Option Trading. I was the first to help educate and promote Options in North Carolina by lecturing across the state. For a mid-life break, I joined Governor James E. Holshouser's Natural and Economic Resources as a Regional Manager. As a lawyer, I represented the Mega Banks in their Consumer Real Estate divisions. In the early days, I was referred to as "Mr. Real Estate", in the latter days, I was called "the best dressed lawyer in Charlotte", by the Judges!

Although I wasn't much of a joiner, I was a long-time member of Warsaw Methodist Church, Myers Park UMC, and served on the Board of St. Bart's Episcopal Church in NYC, along with the likes of General George Patton IV, who detested that I addressed him as George rather than General. In addition, I served as Social Chairman of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity at Carolina and the Young Republicans in Charlotte. I was a Founding Member of the Tower Club in Charlotte and a member of the Palm Beach Yacht Club. I am exceptionally proud to have the A. RAY MATHIS PLAZA permanent monument erected on The Harper Campus of CPCC in Charlotte in my honor.

I was formerly married to two girls who carried the same name, went to the same school, majored in similar subjects, looked and acted in very similar ways. To me, two beautiful and intelligent women, but both ended in divorce. Marriage is transitory. Only diamonds are forever as they say! One of my favorite quotes, “marriages are good, divorces are better”.. Analyze that!

I am survived by a daughter, Bentley Ball of Charlotte, who was born under the Star of Horace on Planet Rebellium. I hold such disdain for her foreign husband Raymond that I don't acknowledge his existence other than to tell you that he egregiously deprived me from seeing their four super talented children for many years. There is nothing more beautiful than to see a young mind grow. They say, “you can pick your nose, you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your son-in-law". NOT, “Everybody loves Raymond”! But, I forgive him because he knows not what he has done! Yet! And that's how it was! What a shame for the grandkids and me!

I am further survived by brother-in-law David Hudson of Turkey, his two children, Karen of Knoxville, Dwight Hudson and wife Phillis of Clinton. Among other survivors are Danny Williamson and wife Shirley, and H.B. Williamson all of Raleigh.

Having said goodbye to my ancestors and now to my family, friends, and ex's, I guess I've said goodbye to everyone. Somebody said, “We spend all of our youth chasing money and then we spend all our money chasing youth”. Fun cycle, and I plead guilty to that. But I've lived a life that's full, traveled everywhere I wanted to go, done everything I wanted to do and now I have faced the final curtain! Economics and Investments at Saint Andrews College, these doors were not open. I had to use my foot and the help of many good people!

Two footnotes of which I'm so proud but hasn't been published before. First, I was accepted into all of these schools in less than a week. I am most proud of hitchhiking to Chapel Hill and knocking on the door of the Dapper Ed French, Dean of Admissions at Carolina and told him I wanted to go to school there but I didn't have any money. He handed me an application, I gave him my last ten dollars and was accepted on the spot. I filled out the application one week before school started. In addition, he arranged for a $400 grant for books and a job at Lenoir Hall Cafeteria. Thereafter, I addressed him as “Mr. Esquire”, which was well deserved and he seemed to like it. The second, law school, took just a few days after the application was considered with the help of a special friend in high places. Bet no one has ever done that! I should have written a book on "How to get into College”!

I would like to pay tribute to two people who intellectually influenced my life, Walker Stevens from Warsaw, who was the most intelligent guy I have ever known and Ayn Rand, a prolific author on many works including FOUNTAINHEAD and ATLAS SHRUGGED, in which The Library of Congress placed on the most influential book list among American readers second only to the Bible. Later, the USPS issued a first-class stamp honoring her achievements. Walker intimidated all teachers and was the consummate fact checker. Walker graduated from James Kenan High School and Carolina with the highest grades and I graduated from the same schools with the absolute lowest GPA. Now, the only difference is that he has Dr. before his name and I have JD after my name, medical and legal respectively. Imagine the odds of two guys from a small town, same class would take the same educational journey and maintain that same HI-LOW distinction, and both end up in a professional career. I consider it an honor to have been accepted at all these schools and a miracle to have graduated!! With today's grade inflation, I might have graduated Summa cum Laude! Ha! Ha!

Ayn Rand, how much can I say about her? She was the mother of capitalism, individualism and objectivism and she wrote the bible on all. At about age 19, I read her book "FOUNTAINHEAD”, which formed my inner soul for the rest of my life. I had the thoughts within me but she put in word form which I could not have done. It was the most powerful book I've ever read and it was written with an elegant style. Later, as part of my job at the UNC Student Union, I was selected to pick her up at RDU airport, drive her to campus to make a speech and return her. In the ensuing three hours, I found her to be the meanest woman demeaning everything and used profanity that the proverbial sailor wouldn't use. Although she was an admitted Atheist, I loved her for what she did for my life.

Other people whom I have known, met or just admired that have enriched my life include Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, John Belk, Eddie Knox, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony, Elvis, Johnny Carson, and I can't leave out Charlie Sheen! How funny!! From the clergy, The Most Reverend Thomas Dix Bowers, of St. Barts Church and The Most Reverend Norman Vincent Peale of Marble Collegiate Church, both of NYC. New York City was my inspirational mecca.

Sinatra's last words were, “I'm losing", so, spread the news, I have gone to New York New York, my mecca”, and I hope to meet a few “Strangers in the Night" there and do it "My Way"! Good Night Folks! I'm “Putting my dreams away for another Day"! Death is a part of life. At the time you read this, I've lost! In leaving this good life, I wish to thank all who have helped me and I hope I have helped just as many without hurting anyone.

Services at Ray's request will be private.