Life Celebrations for Charity Ray and Alumni

Long Ridge resident Charity Ray was an alumni of the Rosenwald school.

It is with a very sad and broken heart that Willa Wyatt shared the news that our precious friend and Rosenwald School Alumni, Charity Ray, has passed away.

Richard Dillingham, who had been visiting with Charity in her home, gave Willa the sad news. According to Richard, Charity had fallen again on Sunday, September 27. Friends from Mt. Olive Church went to her home and helped her get up. Charity’s two nieces came to stay with her and took her to the doctor to have her shoulder checked. It was not broken, but the doctor felt she needed to go to the hospital to get needed attention to help build up her body.

Before Richard left, Charity told him to take care of her animals while she was gone and that she would be back home in a day or two. She died October 2, 2020, shortly after being admitted to the hospital.

As I am writing this, my eyes are so filled with tears they are running off my face and onto the keyboard. We almost accomplished her wish to see the Anderson Rosenwald School finished. Charity was the driving force in our being where we are now in the rehabilitation process. In her memory, we will continue to move forward as fast as possible. Her life mattered to us, as the Rosenwald School matters to the history of education in Madison County.

Arrangements for Charity

Receiving of Friends: Tuesday, October 6, 2020 from 10AM – 4PM at Blue Ridge Funeral Service in Mars Hill

Graveside Service: Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 11AM, Mount Olive Church Cemetery, Mount Olive Drive in Mars Hill.

Obituary for Charity Mae Ray: www.blueridge-funeral-service.com

The Rosenwald School Lights will be shining from 6:30 – 9:30PM, Sunday thru Wednesday to honor the memory of Charity Ray and other alumni. Tommy Briscoe, Peggy Wilson, Syknia Ray Stokeley, Louise Ray Broxton, and Eugene Jones have all passed away within this last year. Syknia and Louise were Alonzo Ray’s sisters.

Please also take time to remember Dora Ruth Wilson McClain, Altheston Stokely, Greg Barnette, and Dorothy Coone, Charity’s sister who passed in 2019.

May the peace that comes from the memories of love comfort you in the days ahead.