Tommie Ray Knowles, Jr.

TOMMIE RAY KNOWLES, JR., 51, PEACEFULLY PASSED INTO HIS ETERNAL REST AT HIS HOME IN HIS BELOVED ROBERTVILLE, S. C. ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2010 AFTER AN EXTENDED ILLNESS. RAY, AS HE WAS KNOWN TO EVERYONE, WAS BORN ON AUGUST 20TH, 1959, IN THE HAMPTON COUNTY HOSPITAL, AND WAS TAKEN HOME TO ROBERTVILLE, S. C. WHERE HE SPENT THE MOST OF HIS LIFE. HE WAS A LIFELONG MEMBER OF THE ROBERTVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH, HAVING JOINED THERE AT A YOUNG AGE. HE GRADUATED FROM PATRICK HENRY ACADEMY AND ATTENDED SPARTANBURG METHODIST COLLEGE IN SPARTANBURG. RAY WAS A BUTCHER BY TRADE AND SPENT MANY YEARS WORKING AT VARIOUS SUPERMARKETS IN RIDGELAND, HILTON HEAD AND ESTILL BEFORE HE BECAME DISABLED. HE WORKED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AT THE GEORGIA-PACIFIC PLANT IN RINCON, GA. RAY WAS AN AVID SPORTSMAN, AND HIS LOVE FOR HUNTING AND FISHING WAS ONLY SURPASSED BY HIS LOVE FOR HIS HARLEY-DAVIDSON. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE ABATE AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, AND PARTICIPATED IN MANY BENEVOLENT FUND RAISERS BEFORE HE BECAME DISABLED. RAY WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS SENSE OF HUMOR, HIS WILLINGNESS FOR ADVENTURE, HIS LOVE FOR HIS DOGS, HIS BEAUTIFUL SINGING VOICE, AND HIS LOVE FOR A GOOD CONVERSATION. RAY WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS BELOVED GRANDPARENTS, WILLIAM (GRANDY) AND MILDRED (NANA) LANGFORD OF ROBERTVILLE, KARL R. KNOWLES OF RIDGELAND AND HIS BELOVED SON, TREVOR O'NEAL KNOWLES. SURVIVORS INCLUDE HIS DAUGHTER, ASHLEY KNOWLES OF AUGUSTA,GA., AND HIS BELOVED GRANDSON, SETH GARVIN OF ESTILL; HIS MOTHER AND STEP-FATHER, REDDEN AND GLORIA TUTEN, OF ESTILL, S. C.; HIS FATHER AND STEP-MOTHER, TOMMIE AND SUE KNOWLES OF BOONE, N.C.; HIS GRANDMOTHER, ALICE SAXON KNOWLES OF COLUMBIA, S.C.; HIS SISTER, TAMMY KNOWLES BALLARD AND HER HUSBAND, RAYMOND, OF ROBERTVILLE; HIS BROTHERS, GRADY KNOWLES OF BRUNSON, S. C.; DR. THAD J. TUTEN AND HIS WIFE MEREDITH, OF GREENVILLE, S. C.; HIS STEP-SISTER, LENNIS TUTEN OGLESBY AND HER HUSBAND MIKE OF MARTIN, S. C., AND HIS STEP-BROTHER, MARK R. TUTEN AND HIS WIFE, TINA OF VARNVILLE, S. c.; SEVERAL NEPHEWS AND NEICES; HIS SPECIAL AUNT AND UNCLE MARGIE AND FRANKIE MALPHRUS OF RIDGELAND AND A SPECIAL AUNT, THELMA SMITH OF SCOTIA, S.C.THE VISITATION WILL BE AT HIS HOME IN ROBERTVILLE ON SATURDAY SEPT. 18th, BEGINNING AT 5 P.M. HIS SERVICE WILL BE AT THE ROBERTVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH ON SUNDAY, SEPT. 19TH AT 3:00 P.M. WITH BURIAL IN THE ROBERTVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETARY. MEMORIAL GIFTS MAY BE MADE TO THE ROBERTVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH, P. O. BOX 506, ESTILL, S. c., 29918. SAULS FUNERAL HOME OF RIDGELAND IS ASSISTING THE FAMILY WITH THEIR ARRANGEMENTS. (saulsfh.com)