Obit – Mrs. Hilda Fay Huffines Ray
Mrs. Hilda Fay Huffines Ray of Knoxville was deceased on Tuesday October 17, 2023 at the age of 81.
Funeral services from the Rose Mortuary Broadway Chapel were conducted Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. E. S. T. with Rev. Mark Kilbourne officiating.
Graveside services were conducted on Monday afternoon October 23rd at 1 p.m. C. S. T. with Eld. Jeff Patterson officiating. Burial followed with her husband and son and near her parents in section five at the Defeated Creek Memorial Gardens.
She was one of two children, a daughter and a son, and was born Hilda Fay Huffines in the Kempville Community on February 4, 1942 and was the daughter of the late Dewey Donald “Cap” Huffines who died at the age of 77 on January 4, 1999 and Sarah Virgie Hackett Huffines who died at the age of 99 on August 5, 2022.
In 1959 she was united in marriage to United Methodist pastor and Jackson County native, Harold Dean Ray, who preceded her in death on May 7, 2025 at the age of 80. He was a pastor for over fifty two years in the Tennessee and Holston Conference.
They were preceded in death by their young son, David Phillip Ray, who died at the age of 5 on January 31, 1967.
Her maternal grandparents, Henry Oscar Hackett died April 25, 1938 at the age of 36 and Mallie Lee Kemp Hackett died March 7, 1963 at the age of 68 and her paternal grandparents, George Percy Huffines died April 26, 1954 at the age of 78 and Valley Dezzie Huffines died November 18, 1979 at the age of 93.
She was a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Knoxville.
Mrs. Fay was a supportive pastor’s wife with her gracious manner, joyful countenance, ready smile and resourceful helpfulness.
She enjoyed singing in the choir, working in United Methodist Women’s groups, teaching Sunday school, and serving as an officer in various groups at each church where she was a member and where her husband pastored.
She was a Certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist churches and had served in various District Offices of the United Methodist Women in Knoxville.
She was a graduate of Knoxville Business College and Chattanooga State Community College and attended Lee University, and attended the Roane State at Community College System at three campuses: Roane State, Pellissippi State and Chattanooga State for a total of twenty four years.
During her working career she was employed at the University of Chattanooga for two years, at the Tennessee Valley Authority in Knoxville for eight years and was a Tennessee real estate affiliate broker.
Survivors include her son, John Mark Ray and wife Katherine Hamilton Ray of Knoxville, brother, Philip Huffines and wife Myrna Lynn Petty Huffines of the Tanglewood Community, niece, Karen Huffines Hackett and husband Stephen of River Point in South Carthage, nephew, Philip Alan Huffines and wife Jackie Bennett Huffines of the Defeated Creek Community; and several cousins.
The Ray family has requested memorials to the Jordan Hackett foundation.
This notice provided as a courtesy to the Ray & Huffines families.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
