Naomi Lee McCray

Psalm 23:4: Even though I through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; thy rod and staff, they comfort me. Deacon Naomi L. McCray, “affectionately known as GiGi” a cherished mother and beacon of strength, peacefully transitioned from this life at the age of 75 on Wednesday, February 13, 2025. She is reunited in spirit with her parents, James and Jane McArthur; her beloved grandmother, Mattie Epps-Cousins; her caring uncle, Waren Epps; and the influential James and Francis Taylor, who shaped her early years. Kenneth Rudd and her dear friend, Deacon Catherine Mankin. Born on March 1, 1949, in Midlothian, Virginia, Naomi embraced her faith at First Baptist Church, where the seeds of compassion and community were planted within her. Later, as a dedicated member of Saint Paul’s Baptist Church, her unwavering commitment was honored when she was ordained as a deacon on October 24, 1999. For over 30 years, she illuminated kindness and guidance. Naomi excelled academically at Carver High School in Chester, Virginia, before pursuing her true calling of nursing at St. Mary’s School of Nursing. Her passion for healing propelled her remarkable career, where she made a difference in the Chesterfield County School Board and at the Virginia State Penitentiary. Naomi engaged her loved ones with riveting tales of her experiences, sharing the complex narratives surrounding the infamous Briley brothers and the weight of witnessing their executions. Naomi also worked at Saint Paul’s Baptist Church and with Dr. Lerla A. Joseph at the Imani Wholeness Center in Richmond, VA. Her devotion to nursing brought her back to her passion as the Senior Administrator of Winthrop Hall in Richmond, where she provided comforting and dignified care to her senior residents for 20 years. Naomi’s spirit of compassion and her dedication to service left a legacy within her community. During her health decline, she was lovingly cared for by her daughter, Erica, her granddaughter, Ke’Yonna, and her son, Ernest Jr., embodying the love she instilled in her family. Her four loving children survive Naomi: Yolanda (Gregory Sanders) and Erica McCray; Ernest III and Alvin McCray. Her legacy flourishes through her twelve grandchildren: Marika, Letia, Ceydria, Danica, Kenneth Jr., Ernest IV, Brandon, Ni’Asia, Ke’Yonna, Asia, Deja, and Ethan; and twelve great-grandchildren: Aubrie, Xavier Jr., Jaheim, Kamari, Noel, Kimiya, London, Giovanni, Amora, Ernest V, Alikai, and Xamora. Her memory is cherished by cousins Anthony (cousin/baby brother), Thomas Jr, Lamzy, Everett, Karl, Lester Minor, Sheryl Simmons, Jaynob Lee, Steve Burford, and Alison Taylor, along with devoted friends Ethel Scruggs, Sandra Dandridge, Deacon Doris Mosley, and Linda Taylor, Gerald Ward Jr. Join Us on February 27, 2025 at 11:00am, Saint Paul’s Baptist Church 4247 Creighton Road, 23223.

Tributes

Naomi Lee McCray

March 1, 1949 - February 15, 2025