James Winton Ray

James W. Ray, an awesome father and grandfather, entered eternal rest on October 28, 2024. He lived in Mobile, Alabama with his two cats and his frequently visiting daughter. His departure was unexpected. He was about to begin cancer treatment but his respiratory system and heart could not continue and declined rapidly. Though sorrow stricken, his family finds comfort in knowing he is made new in Christ. He spent his last few hours with his daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren.

One of the most amazing things about James was his love of people. His personality was magnetic, and always found himself surrounded by great friends and relationships. After retirement, he loved socializing with his friends and was always happy to make new ones. His relationships with friends and family were the great joys of his life. As a single father, he became a rock and best friend to his daughter, Sherry. He loved and was very proud of his daughter and three grandchildren, and talked about them all the time to anyone who would listen. His jokes always left them laughing, and his playfulness will be greatly missed.

James had a great love of all things sports; especially the Alabama Tide. He loved watching his grandsons in baseball, and always cheering on as the youngest, Evan, continues in the sport through college. His family jokes that he and his oldest grandchild, Ellis, are two birds of a feather in their love for discussing sports and politics. James' interests spanned far and wide, and he constantly fed his mind intellectually through reading. One of his favorite gifts to receive was a new book, especially by one of his favorite authors. James also loved to sit back and enjoy interesting movies.

James was the second child born to his mother and father, Cleo and Calhoun, in Mobile, Alabama. While at Murphy High School, he developed a love for & expertise in boxing. At the age of 17, he begged his parents to allow him to enlist early into the Navy, which he did. He served on the USS Summit County and was excited to be stationed in Naples, Italy. While in the Navy, he continued boxing. He was so skilled in boxing that he was the one to step in when his friends got into a pickle. Even after returning home, he was never afraid to stand up for others.

James was an incredible guitarist and singer, playing in a number of rock and roll bands from the time he was young. What started as a hobby turned into a way to earn extra money on the weekends, and then into a lifelong passion. His dedication to music continued through playing live shows, teaching guitar, and constantly learning and discovering new songs. He continued playing in bands up until the last few years. James' musical legacy will live on through his encouraging his grandchildren to learn piano, and teaching his granddaughter, Brooke, to play guitar when she was in high school; she is now following in his footsteps as a full time musician. She goes by the last name "Ray" in music as an homage to the great impact he had on her and the inspiration he was to her journey in music.

James is preceded in death by his parents Calhoun and Cleo, his stepfather Henry, his older brother Cecil, and his niece Robin. He is survived by his daughter Sherry and son-in-law Kurt, his two step-daughters, Kathy and Dena, his three grandchildren, Ellis, Brooke, and Evan, his sister-in-law Mary, his nieces Karen and Cindy, his nephew Skipper, his cousin Becky and many other cousins in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

The family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers, a tax-deductible donation be made in James's name to St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital.