A graveside service was held on Friday, November 20, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. for Mr. Raphael Sidney Waldrop, age 79, at New Augusta Cemetery.
Raphael Sidney (Ray) Waldrop of New Augusta, Mississippi, ended his valiant battle with health issues on November 13, 2020, and joined his loving mother, Katherine M. Bond, and grandmother, Francis S. Mills, at the table on high where he is finally home.
He leaves his children Raphael Scott Waldrop and Laura Michelle Waldrop to guard the post with his trusted dog, Bud, and cat, The General.
He is preceded in death by one sister Wanda B. Smith, and survived by three, Beverly Vincent, Leah Stevens, and Cathy Baca and five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His family recognizes his community and closest neighbors as extensions of his immediate family, Denzel and Cindy Garner, Albert Garner and Debbie Matthews, and Mrs. Anita Wilkinson.
Ray served his country with dignity and his community with pride. After decades of service in the Army National Guard, he retired honorably as Command Sergeant Major of the 114th Support Group, Headquarters Company on December 10th, 2000. A long-standing member of the Mill Creek Hunting Club where he served as Secretary/Treasurer, his handle of Bushwhacker will be retired but not forgotten and someone else will have to figure out how to balance the checkbook!
He was as constant as the Northern Star. He did it his way, lived his life his way and we all loved him for it.
It was one of his last directives that in lieu of flowers, friends and family consider making donations to the Southern Pines Animal Shelter, 1901 North 31st Avenue, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39401
