Dr. Charles Raymond Lunceford, better known as Ray, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday June 29, 2019 at the Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital from heart complications. Ray was born on April 15, 1936 in Mississippi and grew up in Johnson City, Tennessee. He excelled in music earning a college scholarship to attend Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY. He was drafted after dropping out of college for a semester to work and then served two years in the US Army at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado. While there he met the love of his life, Elsie Ann Smith. They married and then returned to Bowling Green, KY so Ray could finish his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education.
Ray began his band directing career at Alachua Santa Fe High School in 1960 outside of Gainesville, Florida. He earned a Master's Degree in Music Education from the University of Florida and served as the Graduate Assistant to the UF Pride of the Sunshine Gator Marching Band. In the summer of 1966 he moved his family to Vero Beach, Florida, to serve as Director of Bands at Vero Beach High School. Ray grew the band from 45 members to over 230 in just 4 years before leaving for Howell Watkins Junior High School in Palm Beach Gardens in 1970. In the fall of 1971 he began working at Indian River Community College, now Indian River State College. In his 22 years at IRCC Ray served as the first full time instrumental music director, earned his Doctorate degree from Florida Atlantic University while working full time and moved into administration serving as the Dean of Arts and Sciences, Provost of the Vero Beach Mueller Campus and Vice President of Academic Affairs until his retirement in 1993. He was honored to be the first Vice President Emeritus of Indian River Community College.
Ray was an avid competitor and excellent tennis player, golfer, and poker player. He won numerous tennis single and doubles titles locally and was state ranked for his age until he had to quit playing due to his health. He learned to play golf and was club champion at Indian Pines Golf Club 3 times in Ft. Pierce and then club champion twice at Dodger Pines Country Club in Vero Beach. He had 4 holes in one during his golfing career.
Ray was happily married for 51 years to Elsie Ann Smith Lunceford who preceded him in death in 2014. He is survived by his son, Charles R. Lunceford II (Casey) and his wife Brenda of Vero Beach, Florida, and daughter, Keely Ann Raff and her husband Stephen of Portland, Oregon. He has two grandsons, both fine young men who are his proud legacy, Garrett Raff of Portland, Oregon, and Lance Lunceford of Vero Beach, Florida. He enjoyed playing recreational poker, chess, and table games with his grandsons to develop their strategic advantage and critical thinking skills through competition.
A Memorial Service will be held Friday July 5th at 1 pm at The Richardson Center at Indian River State College Mueller Campus in Vero Beach, FL 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach, FL.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to: Indian River State College Foundation, Dr. Charles R. Lunceford Memorial Fund
3209 Virginia Avenue, Ft. Pierce, Florida 34951 or go online at: www.irscfoundation.org and click on the donate page.

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