Chief Jerry Neal Ray

Chief Jerry Neal Ray, age 69, Fayette County Fire Chief and husband of Jan Hurst Ray, departed this life Monday evening, December 7, 2015.

Services of Remembrance for Chief Ray were conducted at 1 P.M. Friday, December 11, 2015 at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland with Bro. Eddie Little, pastor of the Hickory Withe First Baptist Church, officiating. Personal remarks were given by Rhea "Skip" Taylor, Mayor of Fayette County, Steve Walls, Fire Chief of the City of Oakland, TN and Jerry Crawford, Fire Chief of the City of Collierville, TN. Interment followed in the Fayette County Memorial Park Cemetery on Highway 64. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes & Cremation Center - West Chapel at Oakland.

Chief Ray was born January 15, 1946 in Selmer, Tennessee. He received his education in the McNairy County Public School System and was a graduate of Selmer High School Class of 1964. Chief Ray served as a Captain at the Memphis Fire Department for 33 years and as the Fire Chief for the Fayette County Fire Department for 10 years. He was a member of the Hickory Withe First Baptist Church and enjoyed special times with his grandchildren. He was an outdoorsman who received much pleasure in hunting and fishing.

Chief Ray is survived by his wife, Jan Hurst Ray of Hickory Withe; two daughters, Amy Ray Johnson (Junior) of Hickory Withe, Nikki Ray Russell (Dusty) of Oakland; his sister, Jean Towater of Jackson, TN; three grandchildren, Haden Ray Russell who is a Junior Firefighter and was involved in fire prevention with his grandfather, Coley Reis Russell, Cortlynn Raye Russell; and a host of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Cecil Glen Ray and Oma Dee Gardner Ray.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers were Lynn Murphy, Fire Chief of Henderson County, TN, Lynn Price, Fire Chief of the City of Bolivar, TN, Henry Posey, Fire Chief of the City of Atoka, TN, David Franks, Fire Chief of the City of Arlington, TN, Jerry Crawford Fire Chief of the City of Collierville, TN and Steve Walls, Fire Chief of the City of Oakland, TN. Honorary pallbearers were all of the Fayette County Fire Fighters.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Fayette County Fire Department, 315 E. Market Street, Somerville, TN 38068.