James Raymond "Ray" Haygood Sr.

1932 - 2020

James Raymond "Ray" Haygood, Sr., 88, passed away on July 19, 2020, at the Magnolia Glen assisted living facility in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Ray was born on February 13, 1932, in Glenside, Pennsylvania to Joan Rucker Haygood and Robert Crisler Haygood. He married Rebecca Ann Marshall at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in Gastonia. Preceding her death, they were happily married for over 60 years. He is survived by his three sons, James R. (Jackie), Daniel M. (Monica Hill), and David W. (Lynn) Haygood; two grandchildren, Margaret Ann "Maggie" and David Withers "Wit" Haygood, Jr.; and his sister, Doris H. Hancock of Gastonia and brother, Keith Haygood of DeLand, Florida. He was preceded in death by his brother Robert C. Haygood of Gastonia.
In 1938, the family moved to Gastonia, where Ray grew up and built a legacy of family and friends. Along the way, he built lasting friendships that were sources of pride to him for his entire life.
His first job, from 7th grade to 12th grade, was at the Gastonia Newsstand located on N. South Street by the railroad. He spoke often and fondly of working at the newsstand. After graduating from Gastonia High School in 1951, Ray took his first "real" job at Southern Bell. Two years later, he was drafted into the Army, undergoing basic training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, a city he said he would never return to. He served during the Korean War as a lineman for almost two years. He once wrote: "On my last Thursday at Chemical Biological Radiological School, the armistice was signed. It was quite a relief because I pondered and worried about shooting at someone and being shot at." He also said that Korea was a "very cold place… mind-numbing cold."
Ray was honorably discharged late in 1954. He explained: "I came home from Korea, and the first place I went to was Mom's house on Fourth Street. I came home unannounced to surprise everyone, but everyone was gone. No welcoming committee for me!" His love of country and respect for those who serve was a constant throughout his life.
After Korea, he enrolled at Belmont Abbey College under the G.I. Bill. He worked his way through college and graduated with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Accounting. While a college student, he worked at the Valet Men's Shop as a salesman. He valued the quality of the education he received from Belmont Abbey: "I graduated in 1959 after three years and two summers of study. I was able to prove to myself that even though I was a sorry high school student, I was capable of doing what I needed to do, if I applied myself."
In 1956, he achieved what many consider to be his greatest accomplishment and that was his marriage to Rebecca: "Your Mom dated me for the first time in 1950, but I think I fell in love with her when I was about 8 or 9 years old. She lived next door to my friend Dorman Fowler on Oakland Street."
Ray's professional life embodied his approach to serving others and helping people reach their full potential. He began his career with Allstate Insurance in 1960 as an adjuster in Cleveland County. He was in insurance for more than 50 years, resulting in lifelong friendships and significant contributions in Charlotte, Greensboro, a return to Columbia, and lastly Raleigh. He was awarded the prestigious Allstate Chairman's Award in 1990. Looking back, his professional life was defined by his consistently strong work ethic, a trait he passed on to his family and others around him.
After his retirement from Allstate in 1995, Ray continued to work part time as an independent adjuster for multiple companies seeking his representation in mediations until 2018. Throughout his life, Ray supported religious, civic, and other causes by volunteering his time, working with Junior Achievement, Shriners, United Way and American Red Cross.
Ray had a passion for NASCAR and followed it his entire life. He wrote, "I saw my first 500-mile race at Daytona Beach in 1951, half of which was run on the beach and half on Highway A1A. The other interesting part of my Daytona trip was that the Pettys were in the same motel as my group." He attended the 1996 Daytona 500 as a retirement gift. The last racing event he attended was the 1999 Winston Cup qualifying in Rockingham, NC.
Ray loved his wife, children and grandchildren. He attended St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Raleigh and later the Church of the Nativity. Many of Ray's and Rebecca's friends came from relationships formed in their church life. In addition to the friendships, their faith was an enduring source of comfort and inspiration throughout their lives.
A committal service will be held at 12:00 pm Sunday, August 23, 2020 at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Gastonia.
In the spirit of Ray's lifelong interest in helping others, the family requests that memorials be made to The Salvation Army of Wake County.
https://www.salvationarmycarolinas.org/wakecounty/
A service of Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Raleigh, NC.
Online condolences may be made to www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com