Joel Dillard Ray, Sr., 90, passed away on Dec. 5, 2014, in Hattiesburg, Miss. after a brief illness.
Born Aug. 21, 1924 in Alcorn County, Miss., he grew up in Corinth.
He was married to Betty Jo Harrison for almost 62 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles L. and Myrtle T. Ray; two brothers, Charles Ray and Dr. Paul T. Ray; and a sister, Ruth R. McInnis.
As a youngster Ray worked in his family’s shoe store and delivered newspapers. Feeling called to the ministry as a teenager, he preached his first sermon at his home church, First Baptist Church, Corinth, which ordained him in 1948. When the U.S. entered World War II, Joel delayed college graduation to enlist in the Merchant Marines. Trained as an officer and engineer at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY, Ray earned medals for service in the Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean-Middle East theaters. Ray received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi College in 1948, and then enrolled at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ken. Following graduation he returned to Mississippi to serve as Royal Ambassador Director for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board. His work there included directing RA camps at Camp Garraway. In 1956 he enrolled at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for additional graduate education. While there, he taught at NOBTS and worked as Church Training Consultant for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Returning to Mississippi in 1960 Ray taught religion at William Carey University for 20 years. He co-authored the textbook for the course, Baptist Work in Mississippi that was used at the state’s Southern Baptist colleges, sponsored Carey’s Religious Education Association and served on its Religious Activities Committee. For 32 years Ray also served as Director of Missions for Lebanon Baptist Association in Hattiesburg. He coordinated events, training sessions, area-wide community events and meetings for Southern Baptist churches in Forrest County.
He retired from Lebanon Association in 1993, and spent time traveling, doing wood work and researching genealogy. Named for his Revolutionary War ancestor Capt. James Dillard and the Biblical prophet Joel, he relished history. A natural story-teller he loved sharing family stories. He also belonged to the National Society for the Descendents of George Washington’s Army at Valley Forge.
Ray is survived by his wife Betty and their two children, Dr. Rebekah Ray of Hattiesburg and Dr. Joel Dillard Ray, Jr. (Catherine Bates) of Starkville, grandchildren Joel Dillard Ray, III, Mary Catherine Ray and Taylor Harrison Ray, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Interment will be at Corinth’s Henry Cemetery with military honors.
Born Aug. 21, 1924 in Alcorn County, Miss., he grew up in Corinth.
He was married to Betty Jo Harrison for almost 62 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles L. and Myrtle T. Ray; two brothers, Charles Ray and Dr. Paul T. Ray; and a sister, Ruth R. McInnis.
As a youngster Ray worked in his family’s shoe store and delivered newspapers. Feeling called to the ministry as a teenager, he preached his first sermon at his home church, First Baptist Church, Corinth, which ordained him in 1948. When the U.S. entered World War II, Joel delayed college graduation to enlist in the Merchant Marines. Trained as an officer and engineer at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY, Ray earned medals for service in the Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean-Middle East theaters. Ray received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi College in 1948, and then enrolled at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ken. Following graduation he returned to Mississippi to serve as Royal Ambassador Director for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board. His work there included directing RA camps at Camp Garraway. In 1956 he enrolled at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for additional graduate education. While there, he taught at NOBTS and worked as Church Training Consultant for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Returning to Mississippi in 1960 Ray taught religion at William Carey University for 20 years. He co-authored the textbook for the course, Baptist Work in Mississippi that was used at the state’s Southern Baptist colleges, sponsored Carey’s Religious Education Association and served on its Religious Activities Committee. For 32 years Ray also served as Director of Missions for Lebanon Baptist Association in Hattiesburg. He coordinated events, training sessions, area-wide community events and meetings for Southern Baptist churches in Forrest County.
He retired from Lebanon Association in 1993, and spent time traveling, doing wood work and researching genealogy. Named for his Revolutionary War ancestor Capt. James Dillard and the Biblical prophet Joel, he relished history. A natural story-teller he loved sharing family stories. He also belonged to the National Society for the Descendents of George Washington’s Army at Valley Forge.
Ray is survived by his wife Betty and their two children, Dr. Rebekah Ray of Hattiesburg and Dr. Joel Dillard Ray, Jr. (Catherine Bates) of Starkville, grandchildren Joel Dillard Ray, III, Mary Catherine Ray and Taylor Harrison Ray, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Interment will be at Corinth’s Henry Cemetery with military honors.
Joel Dillard Ray, Sr., 90, passed away on Dec. 5, 2014, in Hattiesburg, Miss. after a brief illness.
Born Aug. 21, 1924 in Alcorn County, Miss., he grew up in Corinth.
He was married to Betty Jo Harrison for almost 62 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles L. and Myrtle T. Ray; two brothers, Charles Ray and Dr. Paul T. Ray; and a sister, Ruth R. McInnis.
As a youngster Ray worked in his family’s shoe store and delivered newspapers. Feeling called to the ministry as a teenager, he preached his first sermon at his home church, First Baptist Church, Corinth, which ordained him in 1948. When the U.S. entered World War II, Joel delayed college graduation to enlist in the Merchant Marines. Trained as an officer and engineer at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY, Ray earned medals for service in the Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean-Middle East theaters. Ray received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi College in 1948, and then enrolled at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ken. Following graduation he returned to Mississippi to serve as Royal Ambassador Director for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board. His work there included directing RA camps at Camp Garraway. In 1956 he enrolled at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for additional graduate education. While there, he taught at NOBTS and worked as Church Training Consultant for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Returning to Mississippi in 1960 Ray taught religion at William Carey University for 20 years. He co-authored the textbook for the course, Baptist Work in Mississippi that was used at the state’s Southern Baptist colleges, sponsored Carey’s Religious Education Association and served on its Religious Activities Committee. For 32 years Ray also served as Director of Missions for Lebanon Baptist Association in Hattiesburg. He coordinated events, training sessions, area-wide community events and meetings for Southern Baptist churches in Forrest County.
He retired from Lebanon Association in 1993, and spent time traveling, doing wood work and researching genealogy. Named for his Revolutionary War ancestor Capt. James Dillard and the Biblical prophet Joel, he relished history. A natural story-teller he loved sharing family stories. He also belonged to the National Society for the Descendents of George Washington’s Army at Valley Forge.
Ray is survived by his wife Betty and their two children, Dr. Rebekah Ray of Hattiesburg and Dr. Joel Dillard Ray, Jr. (Catherine Bates) of Starkville, grandchildren Joel Dillard Ray, III, Mary Catherine Ray and Taylor Harrison Ray, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Interment will be at Corinth’s Henry Cemetery with military honors.
Born Aug. 21, 1924 in Alcorn County, Miss., he grew up in Corinth.
He was married to Betty Jo Harrison for almost 62 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles L. and Myrtle T. Ray; two brothers, Charles Ray and Dr. Paul T. Ray; and a sister, Ruth R. McInnis.
As a youngster Ray worked in his family’s shoe store and delivered newspapers. Feeling called to the ministry as a teenager, he preached his first sermon at his home church, First Baptist Church, Corinth, which ordained him in 1948. When the U.S. entered World War II, Joel delayed college graduation to enlist in the Merchant Marines. Trained as an officer and engineer at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY, Ray earned medals for service in the Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean-Middle East theaters. Ray received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi College in 1948, and then enrolled at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ken. Following graduation he returned to Mississippi to serve as Royal Ambassador Director for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board. His work there included directing RA camps at Camp Garraway. In 1956 he enrolled at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for additional graduate education. While there, he taught at NOBTS and worked as Church Training Consultant for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Returning to Mississippi in 1960 Ray taught religion at William Carey University for 20 years. He co-authored the textbook for the course, Baptist Work in Mississippi that was used at the state’s Southern Baptist colleges, sponsored Carey’s Religious Education Association and served on its Religious Activities Committee. For 32 years Ray also served as Director of Missions for Lebanon Baptist Association in Hattiesburg. He coordinated events, training sessions, area-wide community events and meetings for Southern Baptist churches in Forrest County.
He retired from Lebanon Association in 1993, and spent time traveling, doing wood work and researching genealogy. Named for his Revolutionary War ancestor Capt. James Dillard and the Biblical prophet Joel, he relished history. A natural story-teller he loved sharing family stories. He also belonged to the National Society for the Descendents of George Washington’s Army at Valley Forge.
Ray is survived by his wife Betty and their two children, Dr. Rebekah Ray of Hattiesburg and Dr. Joel Dillard Ray, Jr. (Catherine Bates) of Starkville, grandchildren Joel Dillard Ray, III, Mary Catherine Ray and Taylor Harrison Ray, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Interment will be at Corinth’s Henry Cemetery with military honors.
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