Virginia "Jenny" Wade Hodges NeSmith Ray

Virginia “Jenny” Wade Hodges NeSmith Ray, 95, of Nashville, formerly of Moultrie, passed away Sunday, June 27, 2021.

A graveside memorial service will be held 4:00 PM Saturday, July 17, 2021 at Westview Cemetery with the Reverend Hugh Ward officiating. 

Born March 19, 1926 in Tifton, Georgia, she was the daughter of the late Thomas Wade and Alice Kent Hodges.  She was married to Matthew Ashley NeSmith for 53 years and had 3 children.  Mr. Ashley was a World War II Veteran.  After his passing, Jenny married George A. Ray and was married to him for 13 years.  Mr. George was a Korean War Veteran.  She was an active member at the First Presbyterian Church of Moultrie and she and Ashley were youth leaders for the Sunday night Pioneer J. High group for about 7 years when their children were teenagers.  Jenny loved her Lord and said she has been so blessed and “guided by God all her life” and often wondered how she deserved such love and direction from her Everlasting Father.  She was a member of the Moultrie Federated Guild, where she held the Conservation Department Chair for several years being awarded numerous state and local awards.  She was also a member of the American Heart Association for many years.  She was president of the group a total of 2 times.  Jenny was the leader in fundraisers such as “Turkey Walks” and the highly successful “Cardiac Arrests”.   She retired after 27 years from Colquitt Regional Medical Center in the accounting department.  After retiring from CRMC, she noticed that the “money ran out before the month would” so she studied and passed the state exam and became a real estate agent.  Jenny worked at Bivins All American Realty and then Alderman Classic Realty until she moved to Tennessee in 2017 to be near her son.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husbands, M. Ashley NeSmith and George Allen Ray; sister, Jacqueline Hodges; brother-in-law, Donald W. NeSmith; sister-in-law, “Honey” NeSmith.

Survivors include her son, Thomas Ashley NeSmith and wife Chris of Nashville, TN; daughters, Terry N. Gambill and husband Richard of Warner Robins, GA, Kathy N. Varnadoe Key of Madison, WI.; grandchildren, Rex Gambill, William A. Gambill and wife Charydi, Leah Varnadoe Ali and husband Muhammid Ali, Lori N. NeSmith, Thomas Andrew NeSmith; great-grandchildren, Evan Gambill, Makala Ashley NeSmith, Alyssa NeSmith, Autumn NeSmith, Yasmine Ali, Sufron Ali; several nieces and nephews and other family members.