Lafe Dewaine McCray of Arlington, Tennessee, sadly passed away two days before his 36th birthday on Monday, August 22, 2022. He was born to David Dewaine McCray and Kathy Sue McCray on August 24, 1986 in Memphis. Lafe graduated from Bolton High School in 2005 before obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from the University of Memphis.
He was the beloved spouse of Emmalee "Emma" Anderson McCray for three and a half years; they have been together for nine years. Lafe and Emma dated for a year before he decided to introduce her to his family -- yet the first, most important person she met was his three-year-old nephew, Ryan. To know Lafe is to know and accept that he and his nephew are one in the same. Lafe and Emma were later married on October 20, 2018.
In addition, Lafe was an avid fan of the University of Memphis football and basketball teams, the Memphis Grizzlies, grilling and cooking, sports cards, Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, Legos, Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, useless trivia (on sports and everything else), being a "Twitter troll" and defending his Memphis Tigers, and spending time with his people and "the boys."
He is predeceased by Arthur Dewaine McCray and Mary Lou Blankenship McCray, A.E. Moffett (Sadie), and Jessie Hearnsberger Moffett.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife; parents; sister Jennifer McCray Richardson; nephew Ryan Eliot Richardson; in-laws Montye and Lyman Anderson; sister-in-law Kathryn Anderson Haver (Eric) and their children Kingsleigh and Jaxon; brother-in-law Lyman Christopher Anderson (Alex Stanfill); and a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Visitation on Sunday, August 28, 2022 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Memphis Funeral Home & Memorial Garden, 3700 N. Germantown Pkwy., Bartlett, TN 38133. Another Visitation, Celebration of Life and Funeral Service will follow on Monday, August 29, 2022 at the same location starting at 1 p.m. The Funeral Service will be held at 2 p.m. The officiants/celebrants will be Kimberly Wiggins and Danny Sinquefield. Attendees are invited to wear their blue or University of Memphis gear as that was Lafe's favorite color, and he bled blue and gray.
A gathering of family and friends for Lafe will be held Sunday, August 28, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 North Germantown Parkway, Bartlett, TN 38133. The gathering of family and friends resume Monday, August 29, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, 3700 North Germantown Parkway, Bartlett, TN 38133. Followed by a celebration of life service Monday, August 29, 2022 at 2:00 PM,at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 North Germantown Parkway, Bartlett, TN 38133. Immediately following a committal service will be held at Memphis Memorial Gardens, 3700 North Germantown Parkway, Bartlett, TN 38133.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MemphisFuneralGermantownParkway.com for the McCray family.
