C. Ray Winn, age 93, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, peacefully went home to be with the Lord on April 1, 2024, surrounded by family. He was born on February 1, 1931 in Watonga, Oklahoma to C.F. and Gertrude Winn. Ray married Loretta Sue Thiessen of Hydro, Oklahoma in 1955. They moved to Clovis, New Mexico where he taught school. Ray then joined the Veterans Administration which led him and his family to ultimately settle in Memphis, Tennessee, where Loretta worked for the VA Medical Center as a Nurse and Ray in various Human Resources roles. Ray retired from the VA Medical Center in Memphis, TN in 1990, after 30 years of dedicated and distinguished service. He was a Veteran, having honorably served his country in the U.S. Army. Ray loved to learn and earned Bachelors and Masters degrees from Southwestern State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma that served him well during his life.
He learned the values of faith, honesty, hard work, and service to others early in life growing up on the farm in Oklahoma. These values served as the foundation for everything that followed in his life, and for how he is lovingly remembered.
Ray was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Loretta, his parents C.F. and Gertrude Winn, brother Clemon Winn, and sisters Naomi Bright, Lucille Lenaburg and Margaret Weathers. He is survived by his children Mike Winn (Amy) of Bryant, AR and Kerri Pollan (Billy) of Olive Branch, MS, his grandchildren - who called him PawPaw - Brian Pollan (Leigh), Kimberly Allen (Meredith), Amanda Ward (Daren), Allison Maxwell (Jake), Mark Winn and John Winn; his great grandchildren Hannah Ward, Caroline Ward, Maggie Ward, Eva Maxwell, Lainey Maxwell, Baird Allen and Alease Allen. Family also surviving him are Bill Winn (Wynona), Floyd Winn, Wayne Winn (Alice), John Winn (Sheryl), brother in law Floyd Thiessen (Kay), and a number of nieces and nephews. He leaves countless friends from Broadway Baptist Church, Southaven, Mississippi and other churches prior to that where he served and worshiped the Lord.
The funeral service will be held at Collierville Funeral Home in Collierville, TN on Tuesday, April 9, at 2 pm with a reception for family and friends to follow. Burial will be at a later date in West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Ray’s favorite charity, Mercy Ships, (mercyships.org).
