Raymond Lee Thomas

1938 - 2023

Raymond L. "Ray" Thomas, 84, passed away peacefully on July 19 at Novant Health Matthews (N.C.) after a short illness.

He was born September 29, 1939, in Raleigh, N.C. to the late Edward Raymond and Mary (Davis) Thomas. A 1956 graduate of Greensboro Senior High School, he attended Elon College (now University) on a partial voice scholarship and graduated in 1960.

As a student at Elon he worked for a local hosiery mill and stayed in the industry for nearly 50 years. Most of his career was spent at Kayser-Roth Corp. in Burlington and Greensboro, N.C. and Menzies-Southern Hosiery in Hickory, where he was vice president from 1984 until his retirement in 2006.

For 61 years he was married to Judy, their years together were full of laughter, joy, travel, music and love. In 2018 Ray and Judy moved from Hickory to Charlotte to be closer to family.

Ray loved music and singing and for 34 years was a member of the Hickory Choral Society, in which he was a first tenor and served a term as president. After moving to Charlotte, Ray joined the choir at Providence United Methodist Church, where he was choir co-president.

An active Elon alumnus and athletic department supporter, Ray and Judy traveled on many autumn Saturdays for home and often away football games to tailgate with family and friends and cheer for the Phoenix. His seat at Rhodes Stadium will miss his presence.

Ray was an avid reader, especially thrillers, as well as an amateur World War II historian; he constantly read books or watched documentaries and films related to the war.

He had a wonderfully quick wit and treasured all puns, good or bad, North Carolina barbecue (preferably Eastern), and a hot dog all the way. He always had a song in his head which he often sang or whistled, sometimes loudly but always in tune.

He made friends easily, and his humor, intelligence, optimism, good-hearted nature and quiet charisma enabled him to maintain relationships from every phase of his life.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents; wife Judy; and his sister Mary Anne Johnston. He is survived by sons Lee (Meredith) and Michael, grandson Noel and granddaughter Sloane, all of Charlotte; his sister Amy and brother-in-law Jay Hendrickson of Raleigh; and numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, who all lovingly called him "Unca Ray."

A memorial service will be held August 25 at 2pm at Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte.