Raymond Lee Jones

Raymond Lee Jones, 72, died on June 21, 2021, in Brunswick, GA, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was a loving father, grandfather, a well known leader in the seafood industry, and a genuinely good soul who shall be deeply missed.

Ray was born in Baton Rouge, LA, on July 10, 1948, the second of four boys to Virginia and Bruce Jones. After his family moved to Greenville, SC, Ray and his brothers began walking to a nearby golf course — experiences that would spark his lifelong dedication to the sport.

Ray attended Wade Hampton High School (class of ‘66) and Furman University, starring on both schools’ golf teams. Later, he moved to Atlanta to start a wallpaper business with his brother David. They worked hard and played hard: fixing up VW Beetles and attending every concert they could. Ray always loved bluegrass and southern rock; some of his favorite artists were The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, John Prine, Alison Krauss, and Willie Nelson.

At the age of 30, Ray returned to school, obtaining his bachelor’s in microbiology and master’s in analytical chemistry from Georgia State. While living in Atlanta, he met Kathryn and Patty’s mom, Laurie and they were married in November of 1987. In 1988, he accepted a position at Rich Products Corporation, working for its SeaPak Shrimp and Seafood division in Saint Simons Island, GA.

Over the next three decades, Ray would have a huge influence on the company — and on the seafood industry at large. He was a genuine advocate for seafood and a trusted voice in meeting with members of the House, Senate, and regulatory agencies. Ray served as chairman of the National Fisheries Institute’s technical committee from 1994 to 1996, and was the technical chairman of the National Shrimp Industry Association from 1998 to 2005.

Having worked his way up at Rich Products, Ray retired in 2017 as its vice president of seafood procurement, quality assurance, and regulatory affairs. That same year, the National Fisheries Institute passed a resolution naming him a “seafood industry leader,” recognizing his decades of commitment to seafood sustainability and quality. After retiring, Ray started consulting for PB2 with his close friend and the company’s CEO, Craig Entwistle.

Despite Ray’s many career achievements, his proudest role was as a father and grandfather. He was an extremely involved parent, taking his daughters to fairs, GoKart tracks and theme parks — and never failing to bring back a doll or a keychain from international business trips.

Ray taught his daughters everything from cleaning catfish to best practices for flying (hint: show up really, really early). He was endlessly supportive and encouraging in every aspect of their lives. He loved talking politics with his daughter Kathryn, who he visited often in Washington, DC. When his daughter Patty bought her first home, he was there to help every step of the way with renovations and visited often to talk about life, music, and of course their favorite sports teams.

When his granddaughter Cora arrived, the two became best friends; Ray saw her nearly every day, spoiling her with time, attention, and trips to the playground. He was overjoyed with the arrival of his second grandchild, a boy, named Riley. When he wasn’t spending time with his daughters and grandchildren, he loved visiting and golfing with his mother, Ginny, who passed away last March at the age of 98.

While family was the most important thing in Ray’s life, golf came a close second. He was a scratch golfer who won many amateur tournaments, and who proudly collected golf balls from the countless courses he’d played around the world. In retirement, he spent much of his time on the links in his signature black golf cart. He cooked a lot, too; his specialties were lowcountry boils, Cajun seafood, and gumbo overflowing with shrimp. He also maintained his love of music, playing the guitar, adding to his massive record collection, and seeing shows with his daughters.

Ray will be remembered as loving and generous, accepting and non-judgmental. He didn’t fit any molds, and didn’t care if you did either. He simply wanted to do what was right. He was calm, cool, and collected; always steady, always reliable, even in choppy waters. And though he could solve any problem, he never wanted the spotlight. He was humble and loyal (a fact evidenced by his lifelong devotion to the Falcons).

Many people believe their dad’s the best, but Ray truly takes the cake. He was the dad who took you fishing at 5 a.m. (and somehow made it fun). The dad who whistled the loudest at every swim meet. The dad who obsessively checked the forecast — and called you with alternate routes — when you were on a road trip. The dad who came over for weeks after you had a baby, doing whatever he could to help. He was, in short, a dad without comparison; a man who shall live on in our hearts forever.

Ray is survived by his daughters, Kathryn Jones (Clark Fonda) and Patty Mitchell (Tyler); his grandchildren, Cora and Riley Mitchell; his brothers, Steve, Gary, and David Jones; and his former spouse and dear friend, Laurie Jones.

Services will be held on July 10, 2021 at 11 a.m. at St. William’s Catholic Church on St. Simons Island, followed by lunch at Village Creek Landing.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ray’s favorite charity, Saved By Grace (savedbygraceglynn.com).

Edo Miller and Sons is in charge of the arrangements. You may sign the register book and leave condolences for the family at www.edomillerandsons.com