Robert Ray Lucas

Robert Ray Lucas October 24, 1924 – January 12, 2020 Robert Ray Lucas, 95 of Wilson peacefully passed onward into the arms of his Savior, Sunday, January 12, 2020. His funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 1, 2020 at Joyner’s Funeral Home, Wilson. Interment will follow in Evergreen Memorial Park, Wilson. The Rev. Rusty Russell will officiate. The family will receive friends Saturday morning from 10 – 10:45 a.m. at Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway, Wilson. Ray was 95 years young and lived a very full and active life. Born in Lucama, Ray graduated from Lucama, High School and then served briefly in the U.S. Navy toward the end of World War II. He worked for the eastern seaboard railroad before moving to Washington, D.C. where he began work as a carpenter. Ray loved to fish, hunt and play golf and he did all three very well. He designed, manufactured and sold custom fishing lures to fishermen and charter boat captains on the central Chesapeake Bay. After moving to Florida and developing a new career, Ray retired as a building inspector for the City of West Palm Beach in 1986. He then moved back to Wilson and the joy of eastern Carolina. Ray actively served in his local church while resident in West Palm Beach and then after his move to Wilson. Ray loved, collected and read old books of great evangelical leaders to study their lives and doctrine. Ray served in bus ministry at Lake Park Baptist church in West Palm Beach and jail ministry in Wilson. He also taught Sunday School at Peace Baptist church in Wilson. Ray is survived by his son, Robert W. Lucas (Joan) of Forest Virginia; grandchildren, Jonathan R. Lucas (Rachel) of Cape Carteret, North Carolina, Caroline M. Lucas of Arlington, Virginia and Margaret E. Wheeland of Forest, Virginia and his three precious great grandchildren, James Lucas, Elise Lucas, and Zachary Wheeland Ray was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary E. Lucas, and his second wife, Cecile Lamm Lucas. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Salvation Army, PO Box 96, Wilson, North Carolina 27894. Condolences may be directed to Joyner’s Funeral Home at www.joyners.net.