Marjorie Burgess Burgess Ray

Marjorie Burgess Ray, age 94, died peacefully on November 23, 2014. She was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on April 15, 1920, to Julius Dewitt and Eva Hill Burgess. She attended Winthrop College in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where she met her future husband, S.C. Ray. They were married on January 28, 1944, in Garden City, Kansas, where he was in the U.S. Army Medical Administrative Corps. They lived in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where S.C. was on the staff at Main Street Baptist Church, until 1949 when the family moved to Greensboro, and he became the educational director at First Baptist Church.

A devoted wife and mother, Marjorie quietly took on a variety of roles at the church. She and S.C. loved to travel, and they particularly enjoyed a six month stint in Salzburg where they assumed responsibilities for missionaries on furlough. In 1992 they happily moved into Friends Homes West where they enjoyed an active retirement for many years.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, her parents, and her brother, J.D. Burgess. She is survived by her sister Ann Smith of Alpharetta, Georgia; her two daughters, Susan Smialowicz and husband Ralph of Asheville and Joani Hughes and husband David of Winston-Salem. A loving grandmother, she is also survived by four grandchildren: Amy Fowler and husband Todd of Asheville; Tim Hughes of Baltimore; Molly Ramos and husband Ian of Washington, D.C; and Kevin Hughes of Knoxville, and one great grandchild Hill Fowler of Asheville.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 28, at 2:00 P.M. at First Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in Marjorie's name to First Baptist Church 1000 W. Friendly Ave Greensboro NC 27401 or to the Resident Assistance Fund, Friends Homes West 6100 W. Friendly Ave. Greensboro NC 27410. Hanes Lineberry is assisting the family.