Ray Alexander Gravett

Ray Alexander Gravett, of 148 Wellmore Drive, originally from Winchester, KY, died on December 27, 2025, at Lexington Hospice House in Lexington, South Carolina, where he and his wife had moved in 2023 to be near their daughter and grandson.

Ray was born on December 29, 1934, to Jesse Oliver and Virgie Alexander Gravett. He received his Bachelor's Degree from Eastern Kentucky University and his Master's Degree from Converse College. Ray retired in 1979 after almost twenty-one years in military service as an Army infantry officer, reaching the rank of Lt. Col. During his years in the Army, he was stationed at Fort Sill, OK; the Panama Canal Zone; Fort Benning, GA; Rock Island Arsenal, IL; Fort Bliss, TX; the University of Southern Mississippi as an ROTC instructor; Worms and Kaiserslautern, Germany, as well as serving two tours in Vietnam.

After his retirement from the Army, he worked briefly as a realtor before teaching math part time at North Greenville University and Gardner-Webb University. During the last forty years or so of his life, he was an avid golfer, first in the Greenville, SC, area and later in Shelby, NC. He also enjoyed woodworking and made many beautiful bowls and pieces of furniture for family members and friends.

Ray was preceded in death by his brother, Gerwood Bruce Gravett, of Jupiter, FL, and his sister, Phyllis Gravett Smith Swaffar, of Lancaster, KY. He is survived by his wife, Darlene, of the home; his daughter, Leslie Dellinger; his grandson, Luke Alexander Dellinger; sister-in-law, Ethel Gravett; brothers-in-law, Richard Johnson (Linda) and Michael Swaffar; nephews, Anthony Gravett (Teri); Jeffrey Gravett (Susan); Rick Johnson (Julie); Philip Gravett (Donna); Sean Smith (Page); Craig Johnson (Stacie); nieces, Laura Ricke (Chuck) and Lisa Graham, as well as several grand nephews and nieces.

The memorial service for Ray will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the Fort Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Rd, Columbia, SC 29229.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the food pantry at Shelby Presbyterian Church, Shelby, NC, or Lexington United Methodist Church, Lexington, SC.