Adron Wayne Ray Jr.

• Posted on: 02, 14, 2020
• By : David Brooks 
• Categories : Past Obituaries 
• Comments : 10

Adron Wayne Ray Jr. of Suffolk, VA made his journey from this life on Saturday, February 8, 2020, while on a work assignment in the southern part of the country of Spain.

Wayne left behind many people in his life. Two that he was so proud of were his sons and their families:  Adron Wayne Ray III, his wife Abigail Bargatze Ray and their children Caleb and Jasmine all of Old Hickory, TN and Stephen Phillip Ray and Stephanie Caroline Newton of Naples, FL.  He is also survived by his father, Adron Wayne Ray of Lebanon, TN; two sisters, Shelton Ray of Austin, TX and Dinah (Russ) Fitzgerald of Decatur, GA and his brother John Philip (Arjana) Ray of Tampa, FL. and nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Wayne was baptized at the age of 7 at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Goodlettsville, TN. He grew up in Nashville, TN and Altamonte Springs, FL and graduated high school in Plano, TX in June of 1978.  Within 3 months he had enlisted in the US Navy and began an illustrious career which took him around the world and where he earned numerous medals and awards. Not only did he train at the Nuclear Power Training Center he also spent time there as an instructor. He proudly served at many duty stations and aboard several ships which included the aircraft carriers USS Enterprise and USS Dwight D Eisenhower. Wayne proudly retired from the US Navy in 1998 as a Chief Petty Officer while stationed at the Atlantic Fleet Technical Support Center in Norfolk Virginia.  He was preceded in death by his mother, Phyllis Shelton Ray.

Never to sit still long, Wayne went to work for Mid Atlantic Maintenance Center.  Here he worked for eighteen years on various nuclear power projects around the world with special emphasis on US Navy ships in the US and in ports abroad. His intelligence, skills and expertise were highly acclaimed by any and all who came in contact with him.  Wayne loved going to the movies and was always thrilled to sit down with a challenging jigsaw puzzle. All of that with a healthy dose of moon pies and he was set.  Adron Wayne Ray Jr. will be missed by all who knew him and loved him.

His remains will rest at the Ligon & Bobo Funeral Home, 241 West Main Street, in Lebanon, TN, where funeral services will be 11:00 A.M. Monday, February 24, 2020. His interment with full military honors will be held following services at 1:00 P.M. at the Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery at 7931 McCrory Lane in Nashville, TN.  Visitation will be from 12:00 to 6:00 pm on Sunday, February 23, and after 10 AM Monday, February 24 at Ligon & Bobo Funeral Home.

The family has requested in lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Wounded Warrior Project at support.woundedwarriorproject.org or USA Cares at usacares.org.

LIGON & BOBO FUNERAL HOME of Lebanon, TN (615) 444-2142   www.ligonbobo.com