Ray Lunsford

Asheville Raymond J. Ray Lunsford, 71, of 111 Shadow Lawn Drive, boarded his train to Glory on Sunday, January 10, 2010 at the St. Joseph Campus of Mission Hospitals. A lifelong resident of Buncombe County, worked most of his life as a mechanic, and retired from the maintenance department of Christ School. Ray loved cars and trains, building several different scale model layouts at home. Ray was the son of the late William Ballard and Mary Irene Crum Lunsford. He was also preceded in death by three infant brothers. Surviving are his wife, Geraldine Gilliland Lunsford; daughter, Paula Rae Carey of Hillsborough, NC; sisters: Mary Lunsford of Alexander, Margaret Banks of Woodfin, and Agnes Edwards of Mars Hill; brothers: Troy Lunsford of Emma and B. Ray Lunsford of Arden; lifelong best friend, J.C. Thomas of Ellenboro, NC; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 2 PM Wednesday in the chapel of Anders-Rice Funeral Home and Cremation Center, with the Rev. Jeff Burchette officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6-8 PM Tuesday at the funeral home.