Uless Ray

November 1, 1925 - May 20, 2013

East Stone Gap, VA Uless Ray, 87, passed away on Monday (May 20, 2013) at Heritage Hall Healthcare in Big Stone Gap, VA. Uless was born and raised in Lee County, VA, lived in West Virginia for several years and resided in East Stone Gap for most of his life. He was a coal miner for several years and was an avid lover of over-the-road truck driving. He was a U. S. Army Veteran of WWII and the Korean War. He was a Christian. He was preceded in death by his father, Blaine Ray; his mother, Pearl Napier Ray Hartsock; his special maternal grandmother, Maggie Napier; and two half-brothers, Buford Ray and Glenn Hartsock. Uless is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ann Carter Ray; one son, John C. Ray, of the home; two half-brothers, E. B. Ray of W. Va. and Jimmy Ray of Tenn.; four half-sisters, Helen Fields and Florence Ryan of Ohio, Juanita Woodard of Tenn. and Anna Duncan of Dryden, VA; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and a special aunt, Margaret Parsons of Dryden, VA. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at Holding Funeral Home (17 E. 3rd St., N.) in Big Stone Gap, VA. The funeral service will follow at 7 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Ric Wright officiating. Committal services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Friday at Powell Valley Memorial Gardens. The family and friends will meet at the funeral home by 10:30 a.m. on Friday to go in procession. Pallbearers will be: David Carter, Jim Cridlin, Dennis Dickenson, Jerry Palmer, David Parsons and John Parsons. Honorary pallbearers will be his Mutual Pharmacy coffee buddies. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the East Stone Gap United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 186, East Stone Gap, VA 24246. To view the obituary online and offer condolences, please visit www.holdingfuneralhome.com. Holding Funeral Home is honored to serve the Ray family.