AHOSKIE – Hunter Person Raiford, age 68, of Shaftesbury Road, died July 20, 2011, at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, NC, from complications related to a stroke.
Mr. Raiford was born on July 1, 1943, in Franklin, Southampton County, VA, the only son of the late Joseph Cheyney Raiford and Mary Norman Turner. He grew up on the family farm in Ivor, VA and attended Corinth Friends Meeting, a Quaker church founded by his great grandparents.
After graduating from Southampton High School in 1962, Hunter briefly attended Edwards Military Institute in Salemburg, NC. He left there to begin work as a Nuclear Machine Installation Planner in Section X-43 at the Newport News Naval Shipyard, where he planned the hours required to fuel nuclear submarines. In 1971, Mr. Raiford accepted a sales representative position with R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and moved to Ahoskie, NC, his wife‚??s hometown. He retired from Reynolds in 1999 after 29 years of service.
Hunter was a member of First Baptist Church of Ahoskie. He was a loving son, husband, father grandfather, and friend.
Left to cherish his memory is his loving wife of 46 years, Arlene Rawls Raiford; his son, Neil Hunter Raiford and wife, Karen G., M.D. of Brownsboro, AL; and three grandsons, Benjamin Hunter Raiford, Thomas Holt Raiford, and Turner Cheyney Raiford.
A service celebrating Mr. Raiford‚??s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 27, 2011, at First Baptist Church of Ahoskie, with the Rev. Dr. Daniel Glaze officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service, at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorial donations be made to First Baptist Church of Ahoskie, P.O. Box 649, Ahoskie, NC, 27910, or to a favorite charity.
I am so sorry to hear that Hunter passed away. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. May your wonderful memories sustain you.
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of such a sweet man. I haven’t seen the Raiford family in a long time but growing up, they were just like family. My heart goes out to Arlene, Neil and family. I wish that there was something that I could say or do to make his passing easier. The only thing I know for sure is that he is sitting at the right hand of God. You will see him again. Take comfort in that. My thoughts and prayers are with you and please do not hesitate to reach out if you need to. All my love, Jennifer
As neighbors of the Raifords for more than a decade we knew Hunter very well.
He was a kind soul who always smiled and made you feel like family.
To Arlene, Neil, and the rest of the family you are in our prayers during this time.
Love,
The Drakes
arlene, i am so sorry to hear of your husbands passing. you are in my thoughts and prayers.