Raymond Paschal Jones

Raymond Paschal Jones, 96, sailed to Heaven on September 17, 2015. Raymond was born on January 9, 1919 in St. Paul, North Carolina, the son of Stephen Raymond Jones and Lillie Bolton Jones. He grew up in Wade, North Carolina, and graduated from Central High School in Cumberland County, NC, in 1939.

Ray proudly served his country in the US Navy from 1939 to 1960. He served on the battleship New York, on the tankers Maumee and Nantahala, and on the carriers Langley, Midway and Intrepid. He was on the invasion of Casablanca and served in the South Pacific for 2 years during World War II. He served in the fleet training group in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He received a Presidential Unit Citation, Theater Medals for Asia Pacific, Liberation of the Philippines, and European Theater (invasion of Casablanca). He retired as the Chief Engineer of a Capital Ship where he achieved the Combat Efficiency Rating for the Fleet. He also held Sunday school on board several ships and many times served as the Chaplin. Also during his years in the Navy, Ray studied engineering.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge for 56 years and was a past Chaplin of Excelsior Masonic Lodge #261. He was a former member of the Shriners. In addition, Ray was a past Royal Patron of Carolina Court #10 Order of the Amaranth and currently served as historian.

He was a member of Providence Baptist Church for 50 years where he was currently President of his Sunday school class.

He was a Quality Assurance Engineer with E. I. DuPont De Nemours and Co. for approximately 21 years, retiring in 1982. He covered 14 states in the southeast plus California.

He is survived by his wife, Ann; his sons, Jerry C. Jones of Hampton, TN, and Jack Lee Jones of Treasure Island, Florida and Mexico; niece, Anna Vee Bolton Rice of Charlotte, NC; grandson, Justin Paschal Jones and wife, Jessica of Atlanta, GA; grandson Reid Jones of Charlotte; granddaughter, Carol Jones of Savannah, GA, and granddaughter-in-law, Kim Jones of Charlotte, NC; step-son, Richard Long of Indian Trail, NC; step-daughter, Christina Bender and husband, Nathan of Weddington, NC; step-son, David Long and wife, Casey of Weddington, NC; 6 step-grandchildren (Ava, Jack, Nate, and Isabella Bender and Dawson and Grace Long) and 9 great-grandchildren (Erin Stanley, Katie, Kayla, Kelsey, Gunner, Everett, Lennox and Bennett Jones and Paxton Smith) and one great great grandson and many other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife Virginia “Ginny” Jones, his brother Paul Allen Jones, his half-brother, James Glidewell Bolton, granddaughter Alexandra Surdyk Jones, grandson Kenneth Ray Jones, and his parents.

A celebration of Ray’s life will be held on Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:00am at Providence Baptist Church on Randolph Road, followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall and a grave side service at 1:30 pm at Sharon Memorial Gardens.

Memorial donations may be made to:

Youth Mission Fund at Providence Baptist Church, 4921 Randolph Road, Charlotte, NC 28211 or to

The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, 600 College Street, Oxford, NC 27565