Funeral services for Ms. Arice Elaine McCray, 76, of Santee, SC, will be held 11:00am, Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Parlerville AME Church, 416 Pinewood Drive, Santee, SC, with interment to follow in the church cemetery.

Ms. McCray will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service.

Ms. Arice Elaine McCray, also known as “Mother McCray” and “A or Ms. A”, was born in Orangeburg County, South Carolina on March 5, 1946. She was the daughter of the late Jessie and Bessie Debose. Her Christian journey came to peace as a gift to her Father Jesus Christ on Christmas Day, December 25, 2022.

She attended the public schools of Orangeburg County. She served over 25 years as a Housekeeper at Ramada Inn, Santee, South Carolina. At an early age she joined the Parlerville AME Church. As a church member, she served as the Steward Board Pro Temp, member of the Steward Board, member of Trustee Board, member of the Finance Committee, member of the Adult Gospel Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) and a Faithful member of Bible Study. Arice was also an ambassador for various prayer groups within her community.

Arice loved the Lord and centered Jesus Christ in everything she did. She love to joke around and make people laugh. She had a magnetic personality that left anyone who came into her presence better than before they encountered her. She valued every relationship she had and every person she came to meet. She truly lived and loved others as the love of God commands. Known as “A” to many family members, she embraced many hearts from the first time she arrived in Hampton, Virginia to live with her daughter, Joyce and family in 2014. With her charming jokes, she became Mother McCray to many aides, bus drivers and the church family at Rivers of Life Fellowship Church where she attended in Newport News, Virginia. Also, Arice started the “A” Foundation in Virginia when she encountered several homeless people in the Hampton Roads area. She supplied several packages such as soap, wash cloths, and other personal items to them. This was a way she gave back to her community and to assist the unfortunates. Arice had a huge heart for helping others and was well-known to all for her Red-rice and sausage pot cooked to perfection and requested all the time from all her grandchildren to cook.

Arice is the beloved Mother of Kenneth McCray (Jeanette) of Charlotte North Carolina, Joyce Saunders (Norman, fiancé) of Hampton, Virginia, Zachary McCray (Shalonda) of Fredericksburg, Virginia and the late Kelvin McCray, Sr.; adopted children: Solomon Green, Jr. of Macon, Georgia, Verdell Hughes (Charles) and Jackie Williams (Jerome) of Cordova, South Carolina, brother: Melvin Debose (Melinda) of Greenville, North Carolina, sisters: Rose Smith of Queens, New York, Mollie Moore and Bessie Smith of Brooklyn, New York, Sylvia Bostick of Queens, New York. She was preceded in death by the following siblings: the late Jessie Debose, Jr., Joseph Debose, Willie Dubose, Claydean Pelzer, Sheryle Dash, Daisy Abernathy and Lillian Gadson. Arice has 15 grandchildren, 8 great grands, 1 goddaughter and 1 adopt granddaughter; many cousins, nieces, nephews and a host of relatives and friends, all whom will miss her dearly.

Ms. McCray passed away December 25, 2022, in Hampton, VA.

Visitation will be held Friday, January 13, 2023, at Simmons Funeral Home of Santee, 8824 Old #6 Highway, Santee, from 12:00pm - 6:00pm. The family will also receive guests from 3:00pm- 7:00pm, Friday, January 13, 2022, at the Cultural Arts and Visitor's Center, 176 Municipal Way, Santee, SC.

In lieu of flowers, monetary donations can be sent to Ms. Saunders’ Family at CashApp $Alexander178 and cards can be mail to Zachary McCray, 9 Cool Well court, Fredericksburg, VA 22406.

Please adhere to all COVID-19 precautions and masks are required during visitation and funeral services.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.simmonsfuneralhome.com