Sgt. Thomas Columbus Ray

SGT. THOMAS C. RAY II WEAVERVILLE—Sgt. Thomas C. Ray II, age 40, of Weaverville was killed in action in Iraq on Saturday, March 22, 2008. Sgt. Ray was born July 17, 1967 in Buncombe County. He grew up in El Paso, Texas and has been a resident of Buncombe County for the past 19 years. Thomas was employed at The Wackenhut Corp. in Arden. Sgt. Thomas served in the US Navy after high school and was in the reserves, he joined the National Guard two years ago and has been in Iraq since September 2007. He is the son of Ozelle Shultz Ray of Asheville and the late Thomas C. Ray, Sr. Surviving in addition to his mother, is his wife, Linda Metcalf Ray; daughter, Sydney Ray of the home; mother-in-law, Kate Metcalf; sisters Tammy Beddingfield and Monica Travis. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday April 1st in the Chapel of West Funeral Home, 17 Merrimon Ave., Weaverville with the Rev. Travis Harrison officiating. Burial will be at 12:00 noon in Western North Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain with full military honors by the North Carolina National Guard. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to: Carolina Army National Guard, Operation Kids on Guard, PO Box 32127, Raleigh, N.C. 27622 or Soldiers & Airmen Assistance Fund, 7410 Chapel Hill Road, Raleigh, N.C. 27607. www.westfamilyfuneralservices.com