Ray Alfred Stancil |
Ray Stancil
Ray Stancil was born May 12, 1925, and died March 12, 2017.
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Ray's children with Muriel Janet Mercer |
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Susan Rae Stancil Plyler Feb. 8, 1954-Aug. 15, 2016 |
| Sharon Doyle Stancil |
| Melissa “Missy” Hope Stancil |
Roy "Ray" Alfred Stancil, Samuel Branch, husband of Muriel Janet Mercer, was born May 12, 1925, in Wilson, North Carolina.
He was the fifth child and second son of Lonnie Alfred Stancil and Susan "Susy" Pearl Renfrow. Ray is the father of Susan, Sharon and Melissa "Missy," grandfather of Taylor, Caroline, Jordan and Mathilda and great-grandfather of Avery.
The family lived in the Five Points Neighborhood. In 1928, the family lived at 1033 Washington Street and in 1930 they moved to 1036 Goldsboro Street in Wilson.
By the time Ray was born, his father owned a successful trucking business and repair shop in Wilson.
One of his earliest memories was attending the 1929 Stancil Reunion with his mom and dad. He was just 4 years old. It was on the site of the First Stancil Reunion, at the original John Thomas & Delaney Sasser Stancil Homestead, in Beulah Township, Johnston County.
Ray attended Winstead Elementary in Wilson. Ray was 12 years old when his mother, “Susy” Pearl, died of cancer on June 13, 1938, at Carolina General Hospital, Wilson. She was buried in Maplewood Cemetery.
Lonnie met Dorothy Lee Johnson in Wilson. She was divorced with a year-old daughter, Clara Lee Robbins. Dorothy was almost 19 years old when Lonnie married her on July 21, 1939, in Emporia, Virginia. Emporia was 76 miles from Wilson and there was NO waiting period required. Dorothy was about 5 years older than Ray. Dorothy grew up on a farm in Toisnot Township of Wilson County, by 1934 the family had moved to 215 Nashville Road, Rocky Mount.
Ray was a student at Charles L. Coon High School in Wilson. He was listed in the freshmen class photo as “R. A.” Lonnie moved the family to 1006 Macon Street. Ray registered for the WWII draft.
Ray was drafted into the Army on October 11, 1943. He enlisted at Fort Bragg Army Base in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was assigned to the Ordnance Division. Their duty was to supply Army combat units with weapons and ammunition. While in the Army, he was nicknamed, “Ray”, because his first two initials were “RA.” It stuck. Ray was sent to France, where he served until he returned home on February 23, 1946, and received an honorable discharge at Fort Bragg.
Like many returning veterans, Ray needed employment. He was hired as a salesman by Johnson Cotton Company in Wilson. Customers loved him. He was genuinely friendly, caring, a listener, and a problem solver with a good sense of humor. He had a magnetic personality and he never met a stranger. He had all the qualities of a successful salesman and friend.
Ray sold furniture most of the week at this large four-story building. One day per week he drove the company pick-up truck and called on area farmers. He sold fertilizer, seeds, and farm supplies.
Ray purchased a new 1948, 4-door, blue Plymouth. The price was about $1700.00.
Ray met Muriel Janet Mercer on a blind date. Muriel was friends with Dot Howard, another nursing student at Carolina General Hospital, in Wilson. They lived in the hospital’s dormitory. Dot was dating Isaac Kirby and Isaac asked Dot to get a couple of dates for his friends, Ray Stancil and Willie Brown. She asked Muriel and her best friend, Virginia “Jenny” Lee Brickhouse. They all walked into the living room of the Nursing School, to meet their dates. Muriel had no idea which one she was supposed to be with. After introductions, they all got ready to leave, Ray rushed over, got her coat and helped her put it on. All 6 of them piled into the car. Ray and Muriel were two of the four crowded into the back seat.
They went to a popular hamburger joint on Herring Avenue in Wilson. The next night they all went to a hamburger joint in Rocky Mount. Muriel and Ray found they were mutually attracted to each other and had much in common including humor and laughter. Soon Ray and Muriel were a steady couple. Muriel was the seventh daughter of Dock Mercer and Sadie Rae Worrell Mercer, granddaughter of John Ransom Mercer & Allie High and James Thomas Worrell & Mary Elizabeth Doyle. She grew up on the family farm in Wilson County. The family attended Shiloh Pentecostal Church.
Muriel and Ray sometimes double dated with good friends, Jenny Brickhouse and Harvey Boyette. When Muriel and Jenny’s nurses training continued in Richmond, Virginia for 6 months, Ray and Harvey drove them there. They were trained in pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital and also trained at Medical College of Virginia. Next, they went to Raleigh for three months of psychiatric training at Dorothea Dix Hospital in Dix Hill. They both graduated in 1951.
Ray & Muriel and Jenny & Harvey, both became engaged close to the same time. They decided to have a double church wedding. Muriel wanted to be married in the First Baptist Church, which she had occasionally attended since entering the Carolina General School of Nursing.
Muriel and Jenny shopped in Wilson for wedding dresses at the popular, Mother-Daughter Store. They found identical dresses they both liked. They were considering head coverings when the sales lady talked them into identical hats although Muriel wished they had worn veils. They were married in a double wedding ceremony, on May 12, 1951 (Ray’s 26th birthday).
Rev. Clyde E. Baucom, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Wilson, North Carolina, performed the ceremony. Ann, the church organist, played wedding selections. A vocalist from Atlantic Christian College sang.
Ray and Muriel honeymooned in Asheville. Muriel and Jenny never discussed honeymoon destinations. They both were shocked when they ran into each other in Asheville! Two days into their honeymoon, Ray suddenly developed a severe toothache. They only had $50 so they decided they needed to cut their honeymoon short and return to Wilson and Ray’s dentist. Fortunately, once the tooth was pulled, the pain went away.
Once Muriel became an R.N., there were many employment opportunities. She decided to work in the outpatient department of Carolina General Clinic. Over the years, she worked for several different doctors.
Ray purchased Muriel an upright piano, soon after they were married. Muriel had taken piano lessons when she was in school. Ray loved to hear her play and sing. He was proud of her and often said when they had visitors, “Muriel, play for these folks!” All their daughters; Susan, Sharon and Missy, took piano lessons.
Ray continued working for Johnson Cotton Company, even after he, and older brother L.P. opened a joint business, Dairy Leasing. They bought two refrigerated milk tankers for hauling raw milk to Southern Dairies, to be processed.
Drivers picked up milk from dairy farmers in North Carolina and Virginia and brought it to the Sealtest Plant in Wilson. The business continued to grow as the brothers bought additional trucks and expanded their hauling capacity.
Sometimes when a driver was ill, Ray drove the night route and worked at the Johnson Cotton Company during the day. Fortunately, this didn’t happen very often.
Ray and L.P.’s younger brother, Walter Thomas “Tommy,” completed his military service in May 1955 and eventually joined L. P. and Ray in Dairy Leasing. The business was sold in 1990.
About 1990, Ray and Muriel bought Kamper’s Lodge on Hwy 301 in Wilson. This popular Family Campground was established in 1960. Muriel, who had many talents, managed it for about a month, until Ray was able to take over. Ray really enjoyed his time at Kamper’s Lodge, as he loved meeting new people and running a campground. They had overnight and long term rentals. Ray and Muriel sold the business in 2000, when Ray retired. He was 75.
In 1969, Ray and Muriel bought a lake front cottage on White Lake, North Carolina, with Ray’s sister, Pat and husband Bill. LP and Tommy and their families also had property at the lake.
Everyone spent many fun weeks and weekends boating, skiing, and swimming at White Lake. In 1998, Ray and Muriel, having sold their share of the cottage at the lake, purchased a beach property at Topsail Island, NC. The beach was relaxing, and they enjoyed visits from their children and grandchildren.
Ray died at 91 on March 12, 2017. He was in good health until about two weeks before his death. He died peacefully with his family by his side on March 12, 2017. He was buried in Maplewood Cemetery, Wilson.
Muriel Mercer Stancil, 92, of Wilson, North Carolina, recently of Richmond, Virginia, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on March 8, 2022. She was also buried in Maplewood Cemetery.
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