James Woodrow Wray

James Wray, age 81, of Henry, Virginia, passed away on April 8, 2025. James was born on January 14, 1944 to the late Roy and Dorothy Hatcher Wray.

James grew up in Collinsville, VA and attended Fieldale High School. During his high school years, James experienced a traumatic leg injury from a motorcycle accident. Despite the injury, James went on to serve as an airplane mechanic in the Air Force. He spent four years in the service mostly on an Air Force base in Topeka, Kansas. After his military service, he worked at the DuPont plant in Martinsville. There he worked as a technician spinning nylon thread. He later worked in the control room of the plant.

James spent his free time with various hobbies. He enjoyed building and flying radio-controlled model planes. As an amateur photographer, he made his own dark room and learned to develop the film himself. His photographs were mostly of his family, nature and wildlife. James spent much of his time outdoors on his tractor in the summer and bowhunting each fall. James loved mountain walks, reading about Native Peoples, caring for his cat (S’more) and taking his family to Myrtle Beach. He cooked large southern meals and no one ever left his house hungry.

James is survived by his daughter Dorothy Anderson (Chris), his sister Linda Carter, and his grandchildren: Zach Anderson, Cassidy Anderson, and Emily White (Spenser).

Funeral services will be conducted 11:00 AM Saturday, April 12, 2025 at Conner-Bowman Funeral Home with Pastor Rick Poland officiating. Interment will follow in the Wray Family Cemetery in Henry. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service beginning at 10:00 AM. 

Flowers are appreciated. If you would like to honor James in a different way, donations may be made to the Fork Mountain Volunteer Fire Department. Donations would be made to: Franklin County Dept. of Public Safety, 50 Claiborne Ave., Rocky Mount, VA 24151. (Specify that the donation should go to the Fork Mountain Rescue.)

Arrangements by Conner-Bowman Funeral Home, 62 VA Market Place Drive, Rocky Mount, VA 24151.