DATE: Thursday, November 27, 1997           TAG: 9711270612

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B10  EDITION: FINAL 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   34 lines

JAMES C. BRAY

James C. Bray, 92, died Nov. 25, 1997, in his home.

Born in Morgan's Corner, Pasquotank County, N.C., the son of William Henry Bray and Corina Morgan Bray, he was the husband of Muriel Johnson Bray, his wife of 64 years.

In 1915, Mr. Bray's father purchased a farm in Hickory, Norfolk County, Virginia, and relocated the family to that community. Mr. Bray graduated from Hickory High School in 1926, the Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy in 1929, and was licensed to practice pharmacy that same year. Shortly thereafter, he established Bray's Pharmacy in the City of Portsmouth and owned and operated the drugstore, together with other business interests, until semi-retirement in 1966. He continued to practice pharmacy on occasion until full retirement from the profession in 1995, after 66 years.

Mr. Bray was a founding member of Green Acres Presbyterian Church, the Virginia Pharmaceutical Association, The Portsmouth Assembly, the Portsmouth Executive Club, and the Portsmouth Elks Lodge 82. He was a life member of the Portsmouth Rotary Club and was named a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow in 1984. He chaired the Portsmouth Electoral Board for 12 years.

Besides his wife, survivors include two sons, J. Robert Bray and his wife, Janey, Judge Richard S. Bray and his wife, Dawn, all of Portsmouth; two grandsons, R. Morgan Bray of Richmond and B. Bradshaw Bray of Charlotte, N.C.

A graveside service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday in Olive Branch Cemetery by the Rev. Walter C. Hunting. The family will receive friends at Green Acres Presbyterian Church from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Green Acres Presbyterian Church Endowment Fund, 3135 Hanley Ave., Portsmouth, Va. 23703. Foster Funeral Home, Portsmouth, is in charge of arrangements. KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu