Born: April 14, 1940

Died: Nov. 29, 2012

Ray Dean McCarty, 72, of China Spring, Texas, went home to heaven on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, at his residence.

A memorial service at Trinity Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., will take place Saturday, Dec. 8, at 11 a.m.

Private family interment will be at Central Texas State Veteran’s Cemetery in Killeen.

The family will receive visitors one hour prior to the service.

Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.LakeShoreFuneralHome.com.

Ray was born April 14, 1940, to Lewis and Geraldine McCarty. He married Janice M. Freeze on June 24, 1961, in Niles.

After service in the Marine Corps, Ray served as the assistant pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., until his retirement.

He was a member of  Highland Baptist Church in Waco.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis T. McCarty and Geraldine (Pressnall) McCarty.

Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Janice McCarty, of China Spring; a son, Kevin McCarty and his wife, Caroline, of Valdosta, Ga.; a daughter, Kelley Chandler and her husband, Jeffrey, of China Spring; granddaughters, Annalisa McCarty and Olivia McCarty, of Valdosta; grandsons, Thomas Chandler and Liam Chandler, of China Spring; a sister, Janet Smith and her husband, Michael, of Niles; a brother-in-law, Terry Freeze and his wife, Sharon, of Niles; and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Diabetes Association.