Bobbie Nell Ray, 83, passed away Tuesday, August 5, 2025, in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 8, at Hinze Baptist Church, with Reverend Michael Wells officiating. Visitation will be the day of the service at the church from 10:00 a.m. until service time. Interment will immediately follow at Hinze Baptist Church Cemetery in Winston County, Mississippi.
Bobbie was born in rural Winston County on October 16, 1941, to Henry and Ivy Gentry Smith. She attended Lobutcha and completed her school years at Louisville High, graduating in 1959. She married Billy Joe Ray from the Hinze community in January of 1961. They moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where they started their family of three sons: Joseph G. Ray, Marcus B. Ray, and Robert Scott Ray.
While living in Hattiesburg, Bobbie earned her bachelor’s degree in education from The University of Southern Mississippi. In 1975, the Ray family moved back home to Hinze in rural Winston County. There, Bobbie began teaching English at Louisville and later at Neshoba Central, where she remained until her retirement. After retiring, she worked with the GED program to help individuals earn their high school diplomas.
Bobbie loved to cook, garden, and spend as much time as possible with her three sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her fried chicken, chicken casserole, and blueberry cream cheese pies were her specialties.
During the holidays, when family would gather, she would prepare every food imaginable for everyone—often working for weeks in advance to get everything just right.
Bobbie was also a talented painter and left behind numerous treasured works for her family to enjoy for generations. She was a devoted member of Hinze Baptist Church, where she loved to sing church hymns and was known for having the voice of an “angel.”
Bobbie is survived by her three sons, Joseph G. Ray (Evy-An) of Flora, MS, Marcus B. Ray of Louisville, MS, and Robert Scott Ray (Anna) of Folsom, LA. One of her greatest joys was being “Granny” to her five grandchildren: Chandler Ray, Lauren Keith (Jarrett), Dylan Ray, Logan Ray, and Alyssa Ray. She is also survived by three great-grandchildren: Willa Kayte, Kimber, and Mavie Keith.
Bobbie was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Joe Ray; her parents; her sisters, Clara B. Burchfield and Delores McCalip; and her brother, Ansel Smith.
Serving as pallbearers are Bob Burchfield, Curtis Smith, Dylan Ray, Logan Ray, Pat Byrd, and Terry Felder.
