Matilda Dunlap Ray

She was born minutes from downtown Charlotte during the hard times of the depression, her mom, Lula, was a seamstress and her dad, Vinton, was a butcher. She gained her frugal and resourceful nature from those times.

Matilda attended Harding High School, worked at Woolworths in the candy section, and told stories of the tempting aroma of the candy, she loved the chocolate covered raisins the best. A few years after high school, she met her husband of 60 years, Scott Ray, who worked as a policeman for the Charlotte Police Department.

After a few other places of employment, she landed at Celanese where she was an executive administrator. Matilda cherished the time that she worked there and couldn’t stop talking about all the people she knew and how the cafeteria there had the best cooks. To her there was no better place in the world to work.

She moved to Indian Land in 1973, where she was an avid volunteer in her children’s school organizing fundraisers and whatever needed to be done to help out. Everywhere she went, she made it a little better.

Being a tad spicy if crossed, she could be just as caring, especially when it came to family. One of her last wishes was to be sure we mailed her death certificate to the SC Board of Elections so no one can vote her opposing party in her name!

She was predeceased by her husband, Scott Ray, her parents, Lula and Vinton Dunlap, her brother Wylie Dunlap and wife Monnie.

Matilda is survived by her children Debbie Whitsett (Paul) of Fort Mill, Scott Ray of Mooresville and Marcie Ray of Charlotte. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Rachael Heiser (Craig), Paul Whitsett (Emily), Victoria Whitsett, Tyler Ray,Andrew Ray (Peyton), and Wesley McCracken.

No funeral service is planned. There will be a private burial at Elmwood Cemetery in Charlotte.

The family will be accepting visitors on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025 from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm at Olive’s Mud Puddle located at 229 Main Street in Fort Mill, SC.

In lieu of flowers, she asks that you simply do something to help someone less fortunate.