City of Oaks Funeral Home & Cremation
Obituary
Theodore "Ted" Ray
Raleigh, North Carolina
Age 83.
Died 09/29/2024.
August 25, 1941 – September 29, 2024
Theodore "Ted" Leonard Ray, 83, passed away peacefully at his home in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Sunday, September 29, 2024, under the compassionate care of Gentiva Hospice during the final two weeks of his life. Born on August 25, 1941, in Galveston, Texas, Ted was the beloved son of Thomas Ryan Ray and Lucille Dorsalene Ray. He was preceded in death by his cherished siblings, Donald Alan Ray (surviving wife Susan Ray) and Janet Ray Bennett (Lionel Bennett), with whom he shared deep bonds throughout his life.
Ted was a devoted husband to Carolyn Sue Huffman Ray, whom he married on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1962. Their love story began in 1960 when they were introduced by Ted’s sister-in-law in St. Albans, West Virginia, sparking a 62-year marriage filled with love and faith. Together, they raised one son, Thomas Boyd Ray, who along with his children, and grandchildren, were a source of immense pride and joy for Ted.
Ted's professional journey was one of service and dedication. After graduating from Charleston Barber College, he worked as a barber before bravely serving his country as a Marine during the Vietnam Conflict. Ted was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps and later built a career with the U.S. Postal Service, retiring in 2000 after years of hard work.
A man of varied interests, Ted loved fishing and bowling and was an active member of a bowling league in Kanawha County, West Virginia. He also contributed to his community as a member of the Lion's Club in South Charleston, West Virginia, and was a dedicated attendee of Bible Center Church from 1980 until 2020, when he and Carolyn moved to Raleigh to be closer to their family.
Ted’s legacy was deeply rooted in his faith and his desire to share it with others. In his final days, he asked visitors about their relationship with Jesus Christ, passionately sharing the Good News of Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection. His testimony moved one visitor to share that message with her own family, a testament to Ted’s profound influence on those around him. He was known for his kind and hospitable spirit, his generosity, and his sense of humor. Ted embodied integrity, consistently giving thanks to God for the blessings in his life and always pointing others to Jesus Christ. One cherished memory that encapsulates how Ted would want to be remembered comes from his time at Bible Center Church, where he would hand out lifesaver candies to fellow church goers, saying, "Jesus is the real lifesaver."
Ted is survived by his beloved wife, Carolyn; his son, Thomas; grandsons Jeshua Ray (wife Semi Ray), Noah Ray (fiancé Danait Kindeya), granddaughter Chloe Ray Mateus (husband, Isaac Mateus) and grandson Andrew Ray; and great-grandchildren Jadon, Phoebe, and Malachi Ray. All were incredibly close to Ted and will carry his memory forward with love and gratitude.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at Mount Vernon Baptist Church, located at 7600 Falls of Neuse Rd, Raleigh, North Carolina. Visitation will begin at 1 PM, followed by the service at 2 PM. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made in Ted’s honor to Amazing Grace Adoptions and Orphan Care at agadoptions.org.
Ted’s life was a beautiful testament to faith, love, and kindness. His legacy will live on through his family, his community, and the countless lives he touched with his unwavering faith and generous heart.
For additional information or for service details, please reach out to the family directly.
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City of Oaks Cremation and Funeral Home is a full-service funeral home in Raleigh, serving all of North Carolina and beyond. We provide an alternative to costly funeral homes and every day we help families in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and all over North Carolina make simple, affordable funeral arrangements.
Simply having to reach out to a funeral home can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to simplify the entire funeral home experience and make the process as easy as possible. We hope to eliminate any unnecessary surprises by publishing our total cost and the services we provide directly on our website. All of our obituaries are provided free of charge as a way to help families celebrate and commemorate the lives of their loved ones.
Our Promise
Apples to Apples
Just like all other licensed funeral homes in North Carolina, City of Oaks Cremation, LLC is regulated by the NC Board of Funeral Service.
The same laws that apply to the big corporate funeral homes also apply to the modest independently owned firms like ours. All crematories in North Carolina, regardless of who owns them, are inspected annually by the state and must adhere to the same rules and laws.
Genuine Care
We're committed to providing families within our community unsurpassed service before, during and after the time of loss.
Our staff will provide clear communication to your family through each step as we move forward from the original phone call notifying us of a death to the time we deliver the urn back to your family. We will treat your family with the utmost respect, as we honor the wishes of your loved one.
We promise to make this process affordable and as endurable as possible.
State Wide
Our Funeral Home is located in Wake County NC; however, we provide our services to families throughout the entire State.
Unlike other funeral homes, we don't charge an additional mileage fee. Regardless of what county you live in, we can help your family with making simple, affordable funeral arrangements. From Asheville to Wilmington, we're proud to help families statewide.
Our Services
$1196.75
Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. We include everything you need for a simple or direct cremation. Simple, affordable and reliable. We have not changed the cost of our direct cremation service since we opened City of Oaks in 2012.
$2875.66
We offer the option of choosing how you receive your loved ones remains. Selecting our Direct Cremation with Solidified Remains option is a beautiful way to transform cremated remains into 40-60 “stones” that you can hold.
$1917.84
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation option with onsite visitation. Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. Simple, affordable and reliable.
$2497.50
An immediate burial has the same end result as a traditional burial; however, we have eliminated the extra (sometimes unnecessary) services prior to getting to the cemetery. Not everyone wants an open casket for viewing or a limousine for the family. Despite the term immediate, we can move as fast as you need or as slow as you like. This option simply allows you to save money by eliminating some of the fancy extras at the funeral home.
$6081.48
We offer the same traditional funeral services as the big corporately owned funeral homes in the area; however, we cost about half the amount. You might consider a traditional funeral service if your family is looking for an open casket visitation, a traditional church service or a funeral service in the funeral home's chapel. A traditional funeral service can be altered to fit the needs of your family.
$3033.75
This establishment is one of a select number of funeral homes who meet the criteria for providing green funeral service by the Green Burial Council; a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization working to encourage environmentally sustainability in the field of funeral service. Our Green options allow for a funeral to take place without the use of toxic and non-biodegradable materials/chemicals.
$2640.59
As an alternative to traditional cremation, City of Oaks Funeral Home also offers Aquamation. The Aquamation process, often referred to as alkaline hydrolysis, uses a solution of water and potassium hydroxide to facilitate natural decomposition.