Ray Howard Barnes , February 18, 1951 — November 23, 2018

Ray Howard Barnes, age 67, of Biloxi, passed away on November 23, 2018, at Miller County Hospital in Colquitt, Georgia. He was born February 18, 1951, in Biloxi to the late Howard Barnes and Melba Bruce Barnes. He attended Ruby T. Green Kindergarten and Our Mother of Sorrows Elementary School and finished his education in the public schools of Biloxi: A.E. Perkins Elementary and M.F. Nichols High Schools.

He married Zeleder Davis on February 7, 1971, at the St. John Baptist Church in Brooklyn,… Read More » Mississippi. To this union, four children were born. He united with the New Bethel Baptist Church at an early age and was baptized by the late Dr. E. H. Potter.

He sang in the choir as a youth and later served by cooking for different events held at the church. He loved cooking seafood: shrimp, crabs, and crawfish, and barbequing any and everything. He was a Boy Scout with Troop # 416 under the late Dr. G. R. Mason, Scoutmaster, which led to his love for hunting.

He was also an avid Dallas Cowboy fan. Everyone who knew him, knew of his “passion” for the Cowboys. He loved working beginning early as a stockboy at Miles Grocery on Division Street.

As a young adult, he worked with the City of Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department and later as a patrolman on the Biloxi Police Department. In July 1975 he began working for Ingall’s Shipbuilding in Pascagoula. His tenure there ended in February 2011 after 35 years.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother: Rodney L. Barnes. He is survived by his wife, Zeleder Barnes; children: Raymunda (Sharita) Barnes, Zellee Barnes, Zellice (Lamont) Watkins, Raymorris (Erica) Barnes; one sister: Shirley (Willie) Smedley; one brother: Crowley Barnes; two uncles: George L. Barnes and Johnny J. Barnes; one aunt: Paulette Mays; ten grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephew, cousins, in-laws, and friends. Funeral services for Ray H. Barnes will be held on Saturday, December 1, 2018, at 11:00 AM at the Greater St. John AME Church; 551 Division Street; Biloxi; Visitation will be held on Friday, November 30, 2018, from 5:00-8:00 PM at Richmond-August Funeral Home; 184 Main Street; Biloxi.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to the following: NBBC Ruby Green Scholarship Fund; New Bethel Baptist Church; 255 Main Street; Biloxi 39530.

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