Kenneth Ray Dry

Kenneth Ray Dry, age 85, of Charlotte, North Carolina passed away on Saturday, March 11, 2023. On the beautiful day of April 20, 1937, Kenneth Ray was born to Charlie and Sarah Dry in Kannapolis, North Carolina. He attended George Washington Carver High School. In 1956, he received his General Education Diploma (GED) while in the United States Navy. Kenneth married Carolyn smith in Elizabeth City, NC in 1960. To this union god gave them two daughters, Cathy and Sandra and son, Kenneth, Jr. He married Janice Hackley Webster, May 22, 1974 and to this union, Phillip Ray was born. Kenneth joined the United States Navy Reserve in November 1955. A month later he was sent to Recruit Training in Bainbridge, Maryland. His Navy career consisted of serving on six different ships including the USS Soley on which he was the “Oil King”. Kenneth went to Vietnam four times. On shore duty, he served as a Company Commander at the Naval Training Center in San Diego, California. As a born again witness Company Commander of Company 911. Each one of his recruits received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. The recruits made a company flag with the verse II Chronicles 7:14 on it. Everywhere they went that flag was carried and displayed along with the official flag. Kenneth retired from the United States Navy as a Chief Petty Officer, June 1975. After retiring from the Navy, Kenneth worked as a Security Officer for Southern California Thoroughbred Race Track and as a Security Supervisor for Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for 27 years combined. Kenneth accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior August 1972. He was a member of St. Stephen’s Church of God In Christ, San Diego, California. He served there as a Deacon and Choir member. His latest membership is with Legacy Church of Cherryville, North Carolina. There he served as an Elder. Kenneth’s favorite pastimes were gardening, watching Jeopardy and reading scripture. Kenneth possessed a tremendous amount of trivia information, quite frankly he was brilliant. While watching Jeopardy, Kenneth would answer many clues. His wife, Janice, would be upset with him because she could not convince him to audition for the program. He said he would be nervous and would urinate on himself. Kenneth’s parents, Charlie and Sarah Dry; brothers, Leonard Herman, Sherman, Martin, James, Mack and Mark Dry and sister, Kay Frances preceded him in death. Kenneth leaves to celebrate his homegoing, his wife, Janice; sister, Mary Alice Stanback; children, Cathy (Tim), Kenneth Jr. (Wanda), Sandra Williams, Edward S. Webster (Terra), Edvelyn Webster and Phillip Ray Dry; numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, many nephews, nieces, cousins, extended family members and friends. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.neptunesociety.com/location/charlotte-nc-cremation for the Dry family.