Julius Ray Ethridge's Obituary
Services for Julius Ray Ethridge , 69, of Hallsville, Texas will be held 10 AM Tuesday, December 28th at the Rader Funeral Home Chapel, 1617 Judson Rd. in Longview, Texas. The services will be officiated by Charles Ethridge, Robert Johnson, and Dan Manuel. Burial services will be held immediately following at the Hallsville Cemetery. Mr. Ethridge passed from this life after a lengthy set of illnesses on Thursday, December 23, 2004 in Longview.
Ray was born on March 7, 1935 in Miller Grove, Texas to parents Harvey and Opal Ethridge. He was reared in Brashear, Texas where he graduated with honors from Miller Grove High School in 1953. He moved to Dallas, Texas where he met and married Bobbie Jean Wilson, his wife of 42 years. In 1956 they moved to Garland, Texas where they reared three children. He retired from National Guard Administration in about 1985 and relocated to Hallsville, Texas. He became the district sales manager for C&C Carpet in Longview until health issues forced his retirement in 2002. After the death of his first wife in March, 1998, Ray met and married Martha Presley Marty Willson, formerly of Atlanta, Texas and the two enjoyed almost six years of togetherness until his untimely death. Ray was a member of the Longview Church of Christ where he served as a deacon.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey and Opal Ethridge and first wife, Bobbie Jean Wilson. He is survived by wife Marty Ethridge; daughter, Sherra Cobb; daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Tony Dixon; son and daughter-in-law, Galen and Vivian Ethridge; Step-children, Chris Strickland and Kathleen Strickland; his brothers and sister, Charles Ethridge, Carroll Ethridge, Freeman Ethridge, Richard Ethridge, Johnny Ethridge, Judy Reid and their respective spouses; eight grandchildren: Sonja Cobb, Chad Cobb, Robert Rose, Jeffrey Rose, Alyssa Dixon, Alicia Ethridge, Andie Ethridge and Angela Ethridge; and three great grandchildren: Kaitlyn Cobb, Logan Cobb, and Hailey Cobb.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home Monday evening 6 to 8 PM.
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