Harvey Ray Jones

Born September 12, 1932, in Randolph County, North Carolina, Ray was the son of Garland Hunter Jones and Verna Savage Jones. He was raised in the Protestant faith with his siblings and was close with his numerous cousins and many aunts and uncles. He graduated from Trinity High School, where he played basketball and baseball and was a member of the 1949 state championship basketball team. In recognition of that achievement, Ray will be posthumously inducted into the Trinity High School Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the championship team. He later attended Jones Business College.

During the Korean War, Ray enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he trained as a radio operator. After four years of service, Ray was honorably discharged and went to work for Nabisco, where he met and married the love of his life, Billie Jean Cooper.

Ray’s military training prepared him for what would become a long and distinguished career with the National Security Agency, part of the Department of Defense, in Fort Meade, Maryland. He spent 39 years serving his country and received numerous awards for outstanding performance. He loved his work, which gave him the opportunity to travel extensively and to spend eight years living in Germany. Upon his retirement in 1995, Ray and Billie returned to North Carolina to be near family.

Ray and Billie shared 69 years of marriage and built a life centered around their family. Ray was a devoted father and grandfather, and family was always the most important thing in his life. He coached Little League baseball and basketball and rarely missed a school or sporting activity, always there to cheer his family on. Ray loved people. He was well loved, and he gave that love in return. He enjoyed traveling, NASCAR, sports of all kinds, bologna and cheese sandwiches, and watching western movies. He loved playing golf and bowled in the Swinging Seniors Bowling League for 25 years. A talented woodworker and lifelong do-it-yourselfer, Ray was happiest when he had a project underway around the house or yard. His family admired his ability to fix just about anything—although his occasional use of duct tape on electrical wiring left them questioning some of his methods.

Ray is survived by his wife, Billie Jones; his two children, Scott Jones of Monticello, Florida, and Leslie Gaylord (Scott) of Weddington, North Carolina; his beloved granddaughters, Ashley Gaylord of New York, New York, and Michelle Ohmstede (John) of Dallas, Texas; his sister-inlaw, Martha Jones of High Point, North Carolina; as well as his nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter-in-law, Kim Jones; his brothers, Garland Jones, Jr. and Kenneth Jones; and his sister, Betty Warren.

The family will hold an open house to celebrate Ray’s life on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the family home. Friends and family are warmly invited to attend.

Online condolences may be shared at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com.