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| RAY AIDEN 1942 - 2021 |
VALERIE SCHNEIDER 1947 |
Ray Aiden Nelson was born October 7, 1942 in Hamilton, Bermuda — the oldest son of missionary parents Carlyle A. and Thelma (Ray) Nelson. From an early age, Ray inherited his gentle, caring, pastoral spirit from his pastor father and nurse mother. The eldest of four children (Harland, Meredith, and Carlyle decd.), Ray was always a student of learning and graduated from Atlantic Union College (B.A.), S Lancaster, MA in 1964; Andrews University Seminary (M.Div.), Berrien Springs, MI in 1968; and Loma Linda School of Public Health (M.S.P.H.), Loma Linda, CA in 1973.
Ray met Valerie Kay (Schneider) summer of 1970 in New York while helping with a series of religious meetings. They were married at Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University on Sunday, August 1, 1971. They became the proud parents of Vaughan Aldwin in 1973, Renita Ann (Saliba) in 1976, and Vanessa Marie in 1980. Ray passed away six days after celebrating 50 years of marriage with his wife Valerie and family.
Together, Ray and Val formed a team dedicated to supporting Ray’s ministry as a Seventh-day Adventist Pastor and Health Educator for over 50 years from California, to Connecticut, Vermont, Maine, and Maryland. Ray’s passion for recovery ministry helped to guide the development of a church Addictions Program that he continued to support and champion through his retirement.
While retired in Berrien Springs, MI, living near Andrews University, Ray was invited to teach a class each quarter about Addictions. Ray will be remembered as a pastor, husband, father, grandpa, uncle, friend, neighbor, counselor, health advocate, and trusted confidant. His legacy of ministry, servant leadership, addictions and health education, and his relentless dedication to the values and principles of the Seventh-day Adventist Church will forevermore be cherished.
Ray went to sleep on Saturday, August 7, 2021 after battling MDS and a rare auto immune disease causing eosinophilic fasciitis.
Preceding him in death are Ray’s parents Carlyle Anderson Nelson and Thelma (Ray) Nelson, and his younger brother Carlyle Arthur Nelson.
Left to mourn are his wife Valerie (Schneider) in Fletcher, NC; son Vaughan Nelson and wife Nadine (Bubb) of Palm City, FL; daughter Renita (Saliba) and husband Glenn of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; daughter Vanessa and husband Steven Hupp of Bensalem, PA; brother Harland Nelson and wife Frances of Grovetown, GA; sister Meredith (Silvers) and husband Roger of Manheim, PA; four grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Ray requested that his ashes be buried in the East Cooper cemetery in
Oklahoma where he will rest until he is reunited with Valerie and his loved
ones on the promised day of the return of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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