Jacksonville – The Lord heard and answered the prayer of Clarence Raymond (Ray) Drye, 70, of Jacksonville, North Carolina on March 7, 2017 and took him home. A memorial service is planned for 11:00am Tuesday March 14, 2017 at Jones Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville with Father Ernest Ruede officiating. A graveside service will follow at Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville with Military Honors.
Ray served his country proudly in the United States Marine Corps serving three tours of duty in Vietnam, finishing his career in the reserves. He met the love of his life, Concetta Difabio while serving as a U.S. Embassy guard in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and was married there on December 22, 1972.
Ray leaves behind to cherish his memory his wife of 44 years, Concetta (Connie), a son Raymond (Angela) of Jacksonville, NC; Two grandchildren, Morgan Drye of Sylva, NC and Grant Drye of Jacksonville, NC; Three brothers, Danuel (Berta) Drye of Farmington, MO, Joe Drye and Dean (Sissy) Drye of Carlisle, AR; Five sisters, Debbie Gresham of White Hall, AR; Doris (Gary) Fortenberry, Regina Drye, Minnie Nell Hodnett and Trudy (Rick) Drye all of Carlisle, AR and sister-in-law Dorothy Faye (Drye) Horton of Dewitt, AR. His trusted and loyal fur baby companion, Duke. A host of uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Ray was born June 29, 1946 in Stuttgart, Arkansas, to the late Lanco Danuel and Minnie (Hoover) Drye. He is also preceded in death by a brother, James Leon Drye, two sisters, Bessie Carolyn Bell and Elizabeth Pollette Cody.
In Lieu of flowers, donate to the WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT, P.O. BOX 758518, TOPEKA, KS 66675 (National Organization), and honor those who have come home from the war but the war still rages in them. Ray battled the war of Vietnam there and after coming home. The effects of Agent Orange from war causing cancer to ravage his body ends the battle but the victory is won through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Though Ray and the thousands that returned from the war; names will never appear on a wall or monument; they were and will always be heroes to us. Ray's family will receive friends following the graveside service at 108 Fawn Trail, Jacksonville.