Charles Ray McCarty Sr.

Charles Ray McCarty was born August 19, 1947 in Dalton, Georgia. He passed away peacefully at his home in Sharon, Mississippi on September 18, 2024. In his early years Charles worked with a company surveying and traveled to several states while living in Alpharetta, Georgia. After returning to Laurel, he worked at Masonite, Howard Industries and Professional Security Inc. For many years you would see Charles in the Sunflower parking lot cleaning up the trash that people would leave behind. Charles was an avid fan of Elvis Presley. He loved the West Jones Mustangs and frequently attended practices and most all of their games. He liked nothing better than to sit down with a fresh bowl of popcorn and watch his favorite westerns. If you saw Charles, you were either going to find him in his western pearl button down shirt, blue jeans, cowboy boots and his western hat or his security guard uniform. He graduated from Northeast Jones High School. Charles was a member of First Baptist Church of Sharon. He was preceded in death by his biological parents Robert and Bertha Smith and his adopted parents Kerney and Ethel McCarty. Charles was fortunate to be loved by both families as he was raised as an only child by his adopted parents. He was also preceded in death by his son Charles Ray McCarty, Jr. (Chuck) and brothers, Bobby Smith (Janice), Danny Smith, Edward Fricks (Joan) and sisters Genita Franklin (Lonnie), LouAnn Kendall (Clay) and Joliene DeFore (Jimmy). Charles is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 56 years, Lana Vondine McCarty, his daughter, Victoria (Vicki) Ward (Mike) and sister Jerry Sue Reed. Charles was blessed to have two granddaughters, Tori and Lori Ward, who were always there and faithful to meet any need he might have whether to stay at their house, cook a meal, take him to the doctor or stay with him at the hospital. He is also survived by his grandchildren Joseph (Hailey), Richard (R.T.) and Landon McCarty. He had three great grands, Pryor, Timmy and Harper. He was blessed to have three honorary grandchildren, Craig Welborn, Tina Welborn and Chance Ritchie. Charles leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews. Charles will be truly missed by those he loved. Pallbearers will be Chance Ritchie, Austin Welborn, R.T. McCarty, Mario Cisneros, Craig Welborn and Shane Hopper. Honorary pallbearers will be Kyle Tice and Tommy Myers. Services will be held at First Baptist Church of Sharon on Saturday, September 21, 2024. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. and the service will follow at 3:00 p.m. Interment will be at Sharon Cemetery. Pastor Matt Olson will officiate. To sign the online guest book, visit www.memorychapellaurel.com.

Charles Ray McCarty Sr.

August 19, 1947 - September 18, 2024