Mr. Melvin Donald Wray, was born in Cleveland County, NC, on July 06, 1958 to the late Ambrous and Lillie Mae Williams Wray and he transitioned to his heavenly home on December 15, 2020. He attended Crest High School, graduating in June 1976, after which he immediately enlisted into the US Army to complete a 4 year tour and was honorably discharged in 1980. He later joined the US Army National Guard and served many years, landing as a Rifleman/Sharpshooter Expert. He was also preceded in death by his grandparents, Rev. Eddie and Arie Young Wray, and Mr. Harvey and Massie Vinson Williams, as well as his little sister, Penelope Jane Wray.

He is survived by twin daughters, Andrea M. Wray and Amber M. Wray of Irving, TX; a sister Deborah Wray (Harold) Ramseur of Shelby/ Kingstown, NC; a brother, Curtis D. Wray (Dora Spearmon Wray) of Norfolk, VA; a sister, Elaine Wray Allmond, of Lawrenceville, GA; nieces,Chelta Wray, JasilynA. Wray-Jordan (Curtis), Kirtlyn D. Wray and Ariel Allmond; nephews, Langston Ramseur and Chancellor Curtis-Wray;aunts, Mrs. Thelma Wray Antione of Stone Mountain, GA, Mrs. Shirley Lacey (Freddie), of Layton, UT, and Lydia Bernice Wray Hector, of Lawndale, NC, as well as a host of many cousins, relatives and friends.

Melvin D. Wray accepted Christ at an early age and became a member of his family church, Lawndale First Baptist as a young child. After his Army Service tour, he returned to the Shelby area for a brief while, joined the US Army National Guard and worked for Curtis Wright Industries of Shelby as a machinist. He would later move on to the Asheville, NC area (in the mid 1990’s) where he’d use his entrepreneurial skills to start his own window washing company along the main streets of Asheville’s downtown area, landing approximately 15 companies as clients, all along the main business strip, and it is said that they all loved him, and loved doing business with him. He later worked for Trinity Industries as a Machinist, making Pullman Railroad parts for the Transportation Industry. He also worked for NCI of Asheville. (again, as a Machinist) in the Aircraft/Aerospace industry, making crucial parts for space equipment, and the rings for F14-Fighter jets. More recently, from 2016 - 2018, he’d work for Ingles Distribution Warehouse as a Crewman. Lastly, from 2018 - to the end, he’d land his final position at the Charles George Veterans Hospital serving as an essential crewman in Facilities.

Melvin Donald was known for his quiet understanding and always treated each person as if they were the most important. He possessed the greatest heart to bring people together and understood the heart of negotiation. He was loved dearly by all that knew him or met him. He will be sorely missed as a quiet, wise cornerstone within the Wray family.

Funeral services for Mr. Wray will be private. He can be viewed at S.T. Enloe Memorial Chapel on Wednesday, December 30, 2020 from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM. The family will be receiving friends from 1:30 PM until 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church of Lawndale. Burial will take place at church cemetery.