Dewey and Melinda Raynes

Dewey Scott Raynes, age 52, passed away in a tragic accident on April 14th, 2024, alongside the love of his life, Melinda Lynn Lilly Raynes. Dewey was born on November 15th, 1971, to Betty & Walter Raynes, he was the youngest of six children. Dewey was a graduate of Clear Fork High School, class of 1990, a local racing legend at Princeton Speedway & Beckley Motor Speedway, the neighborhood mechanic, and most of all, a proud Dad. On November 20th, 1999, Dewey & Melinda were married at the Ewing Creek Church surrounded by their family & friends, and shortly after started building their family. In 2001, they welcomed their first son, Jesse, quickly followed by their second son, Patrick in 2002, and then their youngest son, Harley in 2003. Throughout the years you would find Dewey on the sidelines (racing, baseball, football, basketball) showing his pride & support for the three things that made him the most proud. Dewey was an active Uncle & Great Uncle to all his nieces & nephews, showing up at games, birthday parties, and always supporting a fundraiser. Dewey was an avid truck driver for Webster Trucking but was always working on something even on his time “off”. He truly enjoyed all his time in the garage or at the racetrack. Dewey loved to make people laugh and share jokes, he loved trips to the flea market, and snuggling with his grandsons. Dewey is preceded in death by his wife, Melinda, his father, Walter, his best friend & brother, Harry (Jim), brother, Jeffrey, and a nephew, Noah. Those left to cherish Dewey & continue to lead his legacy- His mother, Betty Raynes of Ameagle, Three sons, Jesse Raynes & Fiancé, Lexy, Patrick Raynes & companion, Brooklyn, and Harley Raynes & fiancé Kaitlyn, all of Clear Creek. Three sisters, Helen Hill & Husband Michael of Clear Creek, Cindy Vaughn & husband Steve of Abingdon, Virginia, and Connie Brown & Husband Robbie of Dorothy. Nieces & Nephews, Jessica (Armand), Savannah (Joe), Holly (Deryck), Jamie (Danny), Jeremy, Amanda (Chris), Alexandra, Mallory (Andrew), Jordan, and Elijah, great nieces & nephews, Sebastian, Noah, Triston, Payden, Caleb, Kinley, Sylis, Jaxten, and Maddox. Close friends, Michael & Lahoma Smith, Charlie Dunbar, Joey Withrow, Whitten Williams, and Roger Holstein. Last, but not least, and definitely his greatest accomplishments, his grandsons, Bryson Wayne, James Gunter, & Baby Raynes due later this year. Services will be held for Dewey & Melinda at Armstrong Funeral home in Whitesville, West Virginia, on Monday, June 10th, 2024. Please join us as we celebrate the wonderful & beautiful people that Dewey & Melinda were and will always be.

Melinda Lynn Lilly Raynes, age 49, of Clear Creek, WV passed away tragically on Sunday, April 14th , 2024, long with her husband of 24 years, Dewey Raynes. Born on October 26, 1974, in Beckley, WV, she was the daughter of the late Maxine Williams Jones and Kenneth Jones. Melinda was a homemaker and a CNA at Rescare in Beckley, WV. She adored animals of all kinds, especially her babies Gus, Pebbles, Max, Roscoe, and Lucy and her granddogs Loki and Haven. She loved working in her flowers and inherited her love of coffee from her mother. She was proud to support her boys Jesse, Patrick, and Harley in their sports, racing, and other hobbies. Melinda loved having her soon to be daughters-in-law, Lexy and Kaitlyn, around and her newest favorite role was being a Grandma to her grandbabies, Bryson and James. She was so excited for her newest grandbaby on the way. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother Keith Jones of Ohio. The survivors left to cherish her memory include her children Jesse Raynes (Lexi), Patrick Raynes (Brooklyn), and Harley Raynes (Kaitlyn), brothers Shelby “Punkin” Williams of Clear Creek, Clifford “Butterball” Williams (Mary) of Maryland, Donald Williams (Karen) of Clear Creek, Leroy “Weasel” Williams (Linda) of Oak Hill, Charlie Lilly (Cathy) of North Carolina, and Kenneth “Andy” Jones of Ohio, sisters Diane Douglas (Danny) of North Carolina, Shelia Oxentine (Daniel) of North Carolina, and Crystal Jones of Ohio, grandchildren Bryson Wayne Green, James Gunter Raynes, and one grandchild on the way. Survivors also include numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Services will be held Monday, June 10th, 2024 at Armstrong Funeral Home in Whitesville, WV. Family will be from 12-1, visiting will be from 1-4, and services will start at 4. Burial will be at The Raynes Family Cemetery afterwards.

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