Joseph Thomas Raines

Funeral Services for Joseph Thomas Raines, 90, of Whiteville will be 1:00 pm, Tuesday, November 26, 2019, at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Whiteville. Burial will be in the Vildo Cemetery. Visitation for Mr. Raines will be Monday, November 25, 2019 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm at the church and again on Tuesday from 12:00 - 1:00 pm.

Officiating the service will be Rev. Gary Frye and Rev. Jordan Osborn. Serving as pallbearers will be Nick Williams, Jimmy Hunt, John Hunt, Phil Gray, Holden McCraw and J. R. Baker. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Michael Harty, Paul Tutor, Bob Wynne, Jerry Wynne and Jimmy Joyner.

Mr. Raines passed away at his home on Saturday, November 23, 2019.

He was born in Whiteville, the son of the late Albert Lavoy and Annie Mae Harris Raines. Mr. Raines was a 1948 graduate of Whiteville High School and on Saturday, May 26, 1956, was united in marriage to Faye Albright. The Raines were married for 56 years at the time of her passing on Thursday, February 14, 2013.

He worked for Greyhound for a time and also for Kimberly-Clark for 35 years before retirement in 1988. He and his wife returned from living in Memphis to settle back in the Whiteville area in 1979. Mr. Raines served his country in the US Army during the Korean War and was a long-time member and deacon of the Bethlehem Baptist Church near Whiteville.

He leaves his daughter, Deborah (Gary) Frye; two sons, Richard (Tammy) Raines and Jeffery (Shannon) Raines; three grandchildren, John (Tonia) Hunt, Jimmy (Heather) Hunt and Lisa (Nick) Williams; and three great-grandchildren, Holden McCraw, Zoey Williams and Addie Williams.

In addition to his wife and parents, Mr. Raines was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Kellye Raines; and his sister, Betty Herndon.

Special thanks from the family go out to Beverly Bishop, K. J. and Bradley, Alicia and Dustin and Ms. Faye.

Memorial Contributions may be sent to: 1 - Vildo Cemetery; 2 - The Shriners; or 3 - Bethlehem Baptist Church.