Rev. Ray Harrison

Published 9:19 pm Tuesday, February 17, 2009

LAKELAND, Fla. — The Rev. Ray Harrison, 80, of Lakeland, Fla., died on Feb. 2, 2009, at Lakeland Regional Medical Center of respiratory failure.

Funeral services were held on Feb. 5, 2009, at The First United Methodist Church Sanctuary in Lakeland, Fla.

He was born Jan. 25, 1929, in Wilmore, Ky. He served in the United States Navy during the Korean conflict. He was a member of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. He served the following churches: First United Methodist Church of Clearwater, FUMC of Davie, Fla., FUMC of Brandon, Fla., Hollywood Hills UMC, and FUMC St. Petersburg. He was council director of the Council on Ministries, and he was district superintendent of the Melbourne District of the Florida Annual Conference. In retirement, he served as church liaison for Tampa United Methodist Centers. He was a board member of the Asbury College Alumni Board of Directors, member of the Lakeland Mustang Car Club, and past president of Hunter Fellowship at Florida Presbyterian Homes. “Ray was dearly loved by his family and many friends. He was a man who was quick to laugh, with a generous heart and a deep abiding faith. Ray never met a stranger,” his family said of him.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Rose Wagoner Harrison of Lakeland, Fla.; daughters, Renee Page (John) Long of Lakeland, Fla., and Rochelle (Philip) Harrison-Shoemaker of Anchorage, Alaska; son, Ragan K. (Kim) Harrison of Tallahassee, Fla.; six grandchildren, Eric, Taj, Dirk, Tia, Jodie and Jamie; brothers, T.O. Harrison of Lexington, Ky., and W.E. Harrison Jr. of Moultrie; sisters, Arnita Harrison of Brookline, Mass., and Faith Harrison Keir of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Memorials may be made to Cornerstone Family Ministries, formerly TUMC, P.O. Box 5746, Tampa, Fla., 33675.

Condolences may be sent to the family at heathfuneralehapel.com or www.moultrieobserver.com.