Villard "Bill" Wray

Mr. Villard “Bill” Wray, age 67, husband of Jeannie Smith Wray, and a resident of Culleoka, passed away Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at Specialty Select Hospital in Nashville.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday at 2PM at Parkway Baptist Church with Bro. Mike Roberts and Rick Points officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by the Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. A visitation will be held on Friday from 4-7PM at Heritage Funeral Home and again on Saturday from 1-2PM at the church. Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Villard was born June 5, 1952 in Giles County, TN and was the son of the late Villard Otto Wray and the late Mary Lee Bryant Wray. He lived in Culleoka and the Mynders Community most of his life and is forever known as “one of the Wray boys.” He was also well known for his love of his family, Jeeps, Sun Drops, deer hunting, third shift coworkers, his hard work ethic and his dogs: Cookie and Jill. Villard married Jeannie Smith Burleson on December 21,1984. He served in United States Army and was stationed in Germany. He worked at Paul’s Union 76 Station, Herbert Lewis Tractor, Jeff’s Tractor Repair, Tennessee Wheel and Rubber and Leadec Corp., where he was proud to achieve perfect attendance for over 26 years while working third shift.

Villard is survived by wife, Jeannie Wray; sons: Tommy (Kathleen Osmar )Burleson of Lynnville, Jeremy (Teresa) Burleson of Williamsport; daughter, Billie Jean Wray of Culleoka; grandchildren: Jessica Burleson, Brooklyn Burleson, KateLynn Holt, TJ Burleson, Colton Wray, Brandon Ridenour, Caitlyn Ridenour; sisters: Teresa (Mike) Bullion of Culleoka, Rachel (Tommy) Fitzgerald of Columbia; brothers: Ted Wray of Culleoka, David (Linda) Wray of Culleoka, Danny (Karen) Wray of Culleoka, Freddie (Shannon) Wray of Culleoka, Jon Wray of Hohenwald, Jimmy Wray of Culleoka; mother in law, Fannie Smith; sisters in law: Kathy (Rickey) James, Kathy Wray; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Paul Wray; sister, Fran Tosh;
nephews: Paul Jesse Wray, Ryan Wray, Joshua Wray and William Bohrman; father in law, William E. Smith; and brother in law, Robert Tosh.

Pallbearers: Jeff Wray, Randall Wray, Donny Wray, Trent Wray, Daniel Wray, Jeremy Tosh, Ted Wray Jr., and Brandon Ridenour.

Honorary pallbearers will include: Leadec and GM friends and coworkers, UAW 1853 members and Culleoka and Mynders neighbors.