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Established 1948    Dr. Ray Nolan Tharp passed from this life into his heavenly life early Wednesday morning, March 10, 2021. Ray was 84 years old and resided in Van Alstyne, Texas. He is dearly missed by his family and friends, yet we rejoice that he is reunited with our loved ones already in Heaven! Ray was born to Raymond Tharp and Madeline McKnight Tharp on May 21, 1936 and grew up in Seagoville, Texas. His educational background includes graduating from Seagoville High School, majoring in Art at Henderson County Junior College, earning a B.A. from East Texas State University in Commerce, earning an M.B.A. from Southeastern Oklahoma University and a Ph.D. from Louisiana Baptist University. Ray served as a medic in the U.S. Army. He later met Suzanne Phillips while attending ETSU. They married in 1963 and had 4 children. Ray and Suzanne were married for 57 years. Ray pastored various churches in northeast Texas and southern Oklahoma. He and Suzanne also served as Directors of Child Evangelism Fellowship in Tyler, Texas for 12 years. His life work was the development and distribution of Everyman's Bible Correspondence Course that has circulated around the world. In memory of Ray, the course will be offered as a free download from www.ebccnet.com. Ray had a passion for teaching and defending the Word of God. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Anna, Texas where he faithfully taught adult Sunday School until his recent illness. Ray is survived by his wife of Van Alstyne, Texas; son, Stephen Tharp of Bonham, Texas; daughter, Melissa Yarbrough and husband, David, of Canton, Texas; daughter, Julie Coleman and husband, Kirk, of Anna, Texas; son, Jonathan Tharp and wife, Sarah, of Overton, Texas; grandchildren, Madeline Thomason; Aaron Coleman; Nolan Tharp; Armani Quintanilla; Jayce Tubb; Cheyenne Tubb; Alexandria Tharp; Harrison Tharp; Nathan Coleman; and Aston Quintanilla; brother, Leon Tharp, of Balch Springs. He is preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Ranean Raper. A Celebration of Life was held Monday morning, March 15, 2021 at Scoggins Funeral Chapel. The family requests that all memorials be made to the Missions Program at Calvary Baptist Church in Anna, Texas. Interment took place at Cedarlawn Memorial Park, Sherman, Texas. Services were under the direction of Scoggins Funeral Home, Van Alstyne, Texas. - - - Scoggins Funeral Home  Cedarlawn Cemetery Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |