William Hunter McCray

It is with profound sadness that we say goodbye to William "Hunter" McCray, of Holden Beach, North Carolina. Hunter was born May 1, 1963, to William Henry "Bill" McCray and Louise Kreuttner McCray, in Richmond, Virginia. When Hunter was a month old, his grandparents, Rube and Hester McCray, bought a house at Holden Beach, and he came on his first visit. After that, no matter his home, he was a beach boy. He spent the summers of his youth fishing Holden Beach, covered in sand and puttering in the little boat bought by his devoted grandmother.

As a young man, Hunter attended Woodberry Forest School in Orange, Virginia; he then graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in creative writing. While he dreamed of becoming the next Ernest Hemingway, he could not resist the call of the water. In 1986, Hunter purchased The Rod and Reel Shop on the Causeway of Holden Beach. From that day forward, it became his "Key West." For the last 38 years, he has served this area, selling rods, reels, shrimp, minnows, and tackle, all the while giving away some pretty good fishing advice. He loved his life here, and if asked how was doing, there was only ever one answer:

"Just another day in Paradise."

Hunter was not just a writer and fisherman; his interests were varied and his intellect was remarkable. He was an avid inventor of mechanical devices and machine components, and a writer of technical and computer programs. He loved mathematics, electronics, computer programming, and marine biology. In his quiet time, he could be found working on his tractor, playing ball with one of his beloved German Shepherds, binge watching sci-fi television shows, or playing pool while listening to Jimmy Buffett tunes.

Hunter McCray is survived by his loving wife, Teresa Royal McCray, as well as his son, Philip Hunter McCray, and his spouse, Phillip Caprara. He leaves a sister, Lindsey McCray, and her husband Winston Walker, and a brother, Henry McCray, and his wife Stephanie McCray; he also will be terribly missed by his father-in-law, Jack Royal, and sister-in-law, Tammy Royal. The friends he loved, and leaves behind, are too numerous to mention. He was particularly proud of, and thankful for, the wonderful employees he was blessed with at The Rod and Reel Shop. They have given him more support than can be simply expressed in words.

We will gather to celebrate a life very well lived on Hunter's birthday, May 1, at the Lockwood Folly Golf Course River Room from 1:00 until 4:00. We welcome anyone who can join us. If you would like to remember him with a monetary donation, the Boys and Girls Home of Lake Waccamaw was very dear to his family.

Hunter frequently quoted Jimmy Buffett, as he said about aging, "Some of it's magic, some of it's tragic, but I had a good life all the way."