A Homegoing Celebration
Eddie Ray
December 21, 1926 – June 21, 2026
Father · Son · BROTHER · Trusted Friend · Record Man · Songwriter · Poet · Author · Mentor· TRAILBRAZER
Ninety-nine years, lived against all odds.
The family of Eddie Ray invites you to a weekend of remembrance and celebration, July 24–26, 2026. Friday, we gather for his homegoing service. Saturday, we celebrate him the way he would have wanted — with music, stories, soul food, and a serious game of cards. Come to what you can; come to all of it if you’re able. Family and friends are welcome Friday, and especially encouraged to join us Saturday.
The Weekend
All times Eastern Time
All are welcome
Friday, July 24, 2026
The Homegoing Service
Reese Funeral Home
311 N Patrick St
Alexandria, VA 22314
Visitation 11:00 AM
Service 11:30 AM
Phone: (703) 646-9320
Dress: conservative attire appreciated
Repass:
7024 Green Oak Drive
McLean, VA, 22101
We lay him to rest, surrounded by family and friends.
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In person + livestream
Saturday, July 25, 2026
Against All Odds — A Celebration of Life
2:00 – 3:30 PM
In person and by livestream — both count as being there
Venue & viewing link: sent to registered guests after you RSVP
Dress: a touch of green if you can — the color of the trees and mountains Eddie loved; otherwise come comfortable
A tribute to Eddie’s ninety-nine years.
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Following the celebration
Saturday, July 25, 2026
Soulfood Cookout & Games Night
From 3:30 PM until the last hand is played
Card tournament and other games
7024 Green Oak Drive
McLean, VA, 22101
Same location as the celebration
Dress: casual — come as you are
Celebrate Eddie -Plates piled high, music playing, stories told loud
The Eddie Ray Bid Whist & Spades Classic
Games were how Eddie’s family loved one another — from his mountain childhood to game nights with his own children — so we’ll crown champions in his honor. Bring your partner and your trash talk. Cards lead the night, but they won’t be the only game at the table — the full lineup comes with your detailed schedule.
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Close family & friends
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Family Farewell Brunch
Close family and friends only
Location: sent to registered guests after you RSVP
Dress: comfortable — it’s family
A quiet morning to be together before everyone travels home.
The full itinerary — Friday & Saturday, with times, the menu, parking, and the house.
His story begins on a hillside above Franklin, North Carolina — one of eight children in a mountain town that offered him nothing and could not stop him. “Hearts of Stone.” The Capitol Tower. A chairman’s seat in Washington. And then the road home, to bring the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame back to life — where, in 2009, he was inducted among the legends he had spent a lifetime serving. He wrote it all down in his memoir, Against All Odds.
Please — no flowers.Share a memory with the family in the form below —or, if you wish, make a donation to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in Eddie’s memory.
Please let us know you’re coming
Please check every gathering you’ll join over the weekend. Kindly respond as soon as possible but no later than Monday, July 20, 2026.
Questions, or trouble with the form? Email [email protected] with your name, party size, and which gatherings you’ll join.
This site wears Eddie’s colors — the greens of the Blue Ridge mountains and trees he kept on every screen he owned.