Ray Homesley

Ray Homesley, 95, passed away on September 1, 2022, at his home in Chesnee, SC.  He was born on October 1, 1926, in Cherryville, NC, to John and Betty (nee Mullen) Homesley. Ray grew up in Cherryville, NC, and graduated from Waco High School where he enjoyed playing basketball on the high school team. After high school in 1945 he was inducted into the U.S. Army, where he served until after WWII in 1946.  Soon afterward, he moved to Washington, D.C., to work as a clerk for the FBI.  While in D.C., he met Marilyn Newman whom he married in Atlanta, Missouri in 1951, being married 52 years until her death in 2003.  Ray attended night school at Southeastern University, DC, eventually earning an accounting degree and qualifying to become a Special Agent of the FBI, serving in the Phoenix, AZ, New York, NY, Kansas City, MO, and Charlotte, NC, FBI offices during his 32 year career.   Ray and Marilyn raised 2 sons and 2 daughters, primarily in Kansas City.  Ray served the Lord primarily in the Wesleyan Church, attending the Chesnee United Methodist Church in his final years. Retirement took Ray and Marilyn back to his beloved farm in Cherryville, NC, where he hunted, kept up with a large garden, and managed his forest land. Forever a man of the land, Ray spent his leisurely hours clearing, mowing, and maintaining his property. After the death of Marilyn in 2003, Ray became reacquainted with a childhood friend and another love of his life, Laura Hines, who were married in 2006, finally selling the farm in 2020 and moving to her residence in Chesnee, SC.

Ray was preceded in death by: his parents, John and Betty Homesley, and brothers, J. W., Troy, Ben, and George, and twin sister, Fay Egnor, his first wife, Marilyn Newman Homesley, and their daughter, Carolyn Homesley Walden.

Ray is survived by his spouse, Laura Hines, of Chesnee, SC; his daughter, Vicki (Steve) Kirby of Kansas City, MO, sons: Kent Homesley, of Greenville, SC, and Craig (Mary) Homesley of Hampstead, MD; his sister, Helen (nee Homesley) Hilliard of Cary, NC; and brother Wade (Orea) Homesley of Raleigh, NC; grandchildren, Chad (Megan) Walden, Courtney Walden (Kenny) Counts, Sarah Kirby (Bryan Akkerman), Joel Kirby, Ian Kirby, Ethan (Stephanie) Homesley, Ellen Homesley (Steven White), and Charlene Homesley; and a great-grand child: Kinley Walden. He is also survived by stepchildren: Jane (Hines) Biddix (children and grandchildren), Alton Hines (Wendy, children and grandchildren), and Leo Hines.

A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 310 W Church St, Cherryville, NC 28021, on Sunday, September 11, 2022, visitation to be held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., service from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Burial will immediately follow at same location at St. John’s Lutheran Church Cemetery.  Fellowship to follow with light refreshments.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Spartanburg Regional Hospice House Foundation, 686 Jeff Davis Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29303.

Condolences may be left for Ray Homesley on the online guest book at www.carpenterporter.com.

Carpenter-Porter Funeral Home of Cherryville is serving the family of Mr. Homesley.