Obituary of Charles Ray McCarty

Charles Ray McCarty was called Home by his Lord and Savior on March 1, 2016. Charles was born to Roy E and Fanny (McCord) McCarty on December 23, 1929 in Naylor, Missouri. Most of his childhood was spent in Naylor except for a few years during WWII when the family lived in South St. Louis. Charles graduated from Naylor High School in May, 1947 and lost his mother to cancer in June. He graduated from the College of Mortuary Science in St Louis before being drafted into the Army during the Korean Conflict. He served from 1951-1953. In 1954 he met and married his lifetime love, Dolores Clauser McCarty, in Fredericktown, MO. Charles was a Funeral Director and embalmer in Fredericktown, Mo; Alton, Illinois and Webster Groves, Missouri from 1965 until he retired in 1991. He was a gifted man and considered the funeral business his ministry. He cared for countless grieving families showing them dignity and compassion. His faith in Jesus was most important to him and he served in every church he was a member of through the years. Charles & Dolores lived in Crestwood MO from 1965 -2005 and this is where they raised their family. They relocated to Licking, MO in 2005. In the last 4 years they have lived in several retirement communities in Rolla and Overland Park, Kansas. Charles is survived by his wife of 61 years, Dolores Clauser McCarty of the home; and three children and spouses, Marcus & Mary Lew McCarty of Leawood, Kansas; Barbara & Dan Hagler of St. Paul, Minnesota; and Carol & Terry Gorman of Licking, Missouri; as well as 10 grandchildren and spouses and 5 great-grandchildren. Charles was preceded in death by his parents, brother and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.