Ray Adam Cline

Ray Adam Cline
CONCORD -- Mr. Cline, 84, passed from this life on Monday, December 11, 2006 at NorthEast Medical Center. Ray lived on the farm on which he was born on August 30, 1922. He was the son of J. Paul and Bessie Fink Cline. He was a graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School, class of 1940. He worked in the grocery business for two years and then at Cannon Mills in the cotton class room. He was drafted by the U.S. Army on December 31, 1942 and served in the Army Air Corps in World War II in B-17 and B-29 bombers. He was discharged in March 1946.
He attended N.C. State and taught in the Veterans Farm Training Program at Mt. Pleasant and Winecoff Schools from 1946 to 1952. He became a part time agent for Lutheran Brotherhood Insurance in 1952. He was appointed Cabarrus County Tax Collector from 1953-1956. In 1956 he joined Lutheran Brotherhood full time. In 1958 he was appointed General Agent for the state of North Carolina, where he helped develop one of the most successful agencies in the company. His agency was awarded agency of the year in 1973. He retired from Lutheran Brotherhood in 1985.
Ray met his future wife, Adelaide Ridenhour Cline, who taught school at Mt. Pleasant High, and they were married on August 5, 1950 in a double ceremony with her twin sister Alice, by their father, Rev. Charles E. Ridenhour in Dallas, NC. Adelaide preceded him in death on October 5, 2006.
Ray was active in many community activities, and served on many boards and agencies in the county and state. An active member of St. John's Lutheran Church, he served on the council and taught Sunday school for 40 years. He was elected president of the state Luther League in 1948 and elected president of the National Luther league of American in 1950 and 1951. Mr. Cline served on many boards in the N.C. Synod including the N.C. Lutheran Homes, the Lutheran Southern Seminary, Lutheran Outdoor Ministries and numerous other communities. He was an active member of the St. John's Grange and N.C. State Grange where he served as Chaplain for 25 years.
Ray is survived by a son, Donald Ray Cline and wife, Teresa, of Concord; a daughter, Anne Cline Johnson and husband, Ron, of Fort Mill, SC; grandchildren, Kaity and Will Johnson of Fort Mill; a sister, Doris Wade and husband, Jack, of Concord; a brother, Ned Cline and wife, Linda, of Greensboro; two sisters-in-law, Romania Cline of China Grove and Alice Wise of Hickory. He also leaves a number of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by brothers, Leroy and Gene Cline.
The family will receive at Hartsell Funeral Home in Concord on Friday, December 15 from 6:00-8:00 PM. The funeral will be at St. John's Lutheran Church on Saturday, December 16, at 11:00 AM, conducted by Pastor Mark Ericson, Rev. Ted Goins and Rev. Donald Deal.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heritage Building Fund at St. John's Lutheran Church, 100 St. John's Church Road, Concord, NC 28025, or to the donor's choice.
Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord is serving the family. Online obits and condolences at www.hartsellfh.com.