Ernest "Ray" Hancock

MORTON – Ernest Ray Hancock 95, known as Ray, passed away peacefully at Reflections Memory Care in Morton, Ill., on Tuesday, June 28, 2022.

He was born in High Point, N.C., to Floyd and Addie (Sheppard) Hancock on August 4, 1926.  He was one of nine children. He married Virginia Long in 1946, and they were happily married 69 1/2 years. Virginia preceded Ray in death in July 2016.

They spent many years together traveling all over the world and together enjoyed many good friends.

Ray loved people. He never met a stranger. He was kind, helpful and always friendly with a smile. If you were lucky, he would sing you a song.

He loved the Lord Jesus Christ with all his heart and gave that love as a legacy to his family, as well as those around him. He taught his faith in Christ through action.

He found joy being with his family, eating grilled "Bruce Burgers", and playing Farkle. He loved to sing and dance and no matter what came about in his life, you could always find him singing. His light still shines on to those who had the privilege of knowing him. If you were to ask him how his day was, he'd always say "Great, I wasn't in jail once!"

Surviving are his daughter, Donnas (Bruce) Hertenstein of Morton, Ill.; grandson, Erik (Gina) Bonner of Berea, Ky.; five great grandchildren, Favian, Jazper, Thessaly, and Zen of Berea, Ky. and Jade Bonner of Tempe, Ariz; one great-great grandchild, Felix, also of Tempe; step-granddaughter, Hilary Hertenstein Zabel and family (Jordan, Sydney, Evelyn) of Columbia, Ill.; and sister, Rachel Cagle of Chapel Hill, N.C.; and many nieces and nephews also surviving in North Carolina.

One grandson, Phillip Bonner, preceded him in death.

Ray became a pastor of the Church of God after graduating from Lee College, a private Christian university in Cleveland, Tenn.  Later in life, he worked at Caterpillar for over 50 years in Human Resources and Workman's Comp. After his retirement from Caterpillar, he worked at Lighthouse in Morton and as personnel director at Morton Metalcraft. One of his greatest accomplishments was receiving a Master’s degree of Science from Bradley University in Peoria, Ill.

We would like to thank the staff at Reflections Memory Care for their loving care and Compassus Hospice Care for always being there when needed.

Cremation rites will be accorded. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, at Knapp-Johnson Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Morton, with Pastor Bill Novak officiating. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, prior to the service at the funeral home. A private burial of cremated remains will be at Hirstein Cemetery in Morton.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association at 614 West Glen Ave, Peoria, IL 61614. 

Knapp-Johnson Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Morton is handling arrangements.

To view Ray’s online video tribute or to leave a condolence for the family, visit www.knappjohnson.com.