Ray Easterling

Mary Ann, we are so sorry for your loss! Although we haven't been in touch since the days when we lived in Richmond and Ray worked out at the Nautilus Fitness Center with David, we still consider you both great friends. I'll always remember how hard Ray worked to be the best! And the revival we attended with you at your church all those years ago. The subject was the beatitudes. I remember your great danes and when you fixed a dinner of venison stroganoff! Maybe one day our paths will cross again. The world will be worse off for the loss of Ray. He was a Christian inspiration to many. We will keep you in our prayers. I know that God can create something positive from this tragedy. God Bless!

Mary Ann, I only learned of Ray's passing from the article in SI a few days ago. I knew Ray at Collegiate, class of '68, and always admired his athletic ability and enjoyed his enthusiam for life and for his friends. He will be missed. My condolences to you and the Easterling family and my prayers for you as you continue your efforts on behalf of other players and their families.

Dear Mary Ann,
My heart has cried buckets when I read in the Daily News Record a "viewpoint" and realized you had lost your dear husband. I remember meeting you before you were married and being invited to your wedding... and attending with my friend, Sue. Had I known you all were going through all of the problems, I could have been praying for you and your family. My heart is full and my love continues to pour out for you. May God continue to encompass you with His love.

Mary Ann and family, I am so sorry that I do not know how to reach you by mail. we have been subscribing to the Richmond paper for a number of years. We still live outside of Harrisonburg since returning here in 1974 from living in Northern VA. Mary Ann, we can only hope you are surviving with the help of friends and family. Our love to you all. this is your cousin, Elaine Hartman McGann, kin to you through relatives in the Mill Creek area. We were in college with Richard and attended the Arlington Church in the early 1970's. email address is auntsis7@verizon.net

Mary Ann and Elizabeth, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I just learned this morning from a call from another Parsons cousin in Texas. My mother and Vivian were first cousins and I have many memories of visits to Wise to visit my great aunts and uncle with my grandparents. I do not recall ever meeting Ray but from reading the condolences, I missed a wonderful opportunity. I took 2 aunts and visited Vivian not long before she sold the "big" house and had not heard that she died. My thoughts and prayers go out to you.

Dear Ms. Easterling......I just learned of Ray's passing the other night on MSNBC and felt so sad that the game he loved so much could create so much pain and suffering. My heart goes out to you and your family. I remember Ray so fondly as he was always so kind to us underclassmen. He was a positive role model and helped me get through the practices with his work ethic and attitude, I was proud to be a DB just like Ray, although I rarely ever played the position before coming to UR. I also enjoyed many pickup basketball games with Ray....he was quite a bballer back then as well. I followed Ray's NFL career and was always proud to say I played with him. I wish you all the best with your suit and hope you receive the justice you deserve. Ray was one of a kind and I can only imagine the influence he had on the people of his life and he will be missed. Jim "satch" Sanders (Rehoboth Beach, DE)

Mrs. Easterling, and family, I am very sorry for your loss. I was a new recruit at A.L. Williams, now Primerica when I met Ray. Not long after I met him, I invited a small group of friends to one of A.L. Williams initial sales(recruit) meetings, at which Ray would be speaking. One of my friends I invited was playing minor league baseball for the Texas Rangers, and was having a lot of trouble adjusting to all of the pressure of professional sports, and I thought wow, if I could introduce my friend to Ray and if he could talk to Ray about sports maybe it would ease his mind. Well, Ray Easterling, great guy that he was, was very oblidging. They did have a nice talk for about 45 minutes or so, and my friend was very grateful. Afterall, they had just met. Ray Easterling was a very genuine, personable, caring man with something to offer everyone that he met, and someone to admire in many ways. What a great loss to us all. May he rest in peace eternally.

I was saddened to learn of Ray's passing. I attended U of R ('71) and enjoyed Ray's football exploits. Your family will be in my prayers. God Bless

To Mary Ann and family, I have just learned of Ray's passing our deepest sympathy & prayers for each of you. Mary Ann you know this is for a short time in relation to eternity and Ray awaiting you in Christ's timing. I thank God for having known you and Ray. Love en Jesus Christ! -

Dear Ms. Easterling--I was 23 years old in 1979, fresh out of UNC journalism school and a sports editor in Laurens, SC. Ray came to the 1st Baptist Church in Clinton, SC to speak and I was there to write a story. I had the opportunity to interview him afterward, and after I'd finished my questions, it was was his turn. He asked if I'd accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Being the cynical, lost soul that I was, I was taken aback and plenty ashamed. I fumbled for some words when a simple no would have done just fine. As embarrassed as I was, I never forgot that encounter because Ray was so bold and straightforward but at the same time very polite. It was 13 years later when I finally did gave my life to Christ, and it took Ray and four others to get me to that point. His bold witness changed my life and my family's. I was unaware of his recent suffering. My deepest sympathies go out to you and your family and I pray that God will shower you with His grace and peace.