Rayford Pendleton Obituary

NEW HOPE, AL - Rayford Arlo Pendleton, 84, passed away Thursday, December 7, 2023, at Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, Alabama after a short battle with cancer. We are thankful for Doctors O'Halloran and Schreeder for their compassionate and selfless care.

Born in Scott County, Virginia, on December 17, 1938, Rayford was the son of the late Isaac Arlo and Norma (France) Pendleton.

Rayford was a 1955 graduate of Shoemaker High School. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1961, serving two tours during the Vietnam War aboard the USS Enterprise. He was discharged from the Navy on March 23, 1966. Rayford returned to Scott County's Manville Community following his Naval Service. He retired from both Mason Dixon Truck Lines and the State of Virginia, where he served as the Building Inspector for Scott County. Rayford was also a proud member of the Scott County Sheriff's Office. He was instrumental in fundraising for and re-modeling the Manville Community Center.

Rayford married Martha Lee Rhoton on October 28, 1967. They resided in the Manville community of Scott County until November 2020.

He was a member of Manville Holiness Church in Manville, Virginia and the Church of Jesus Christ in Kingsport, Tennessee. When he and Martha relocated to Alabama, he attended the First Apostolic Church in New Hope, Alabama. After relocating, Benny, Earkley, Jerry, James, and David helped make Alabama home.

In addition to his parents, Rayford was preceded in death by the following siblings: sisters, Evelyn Adams, Mildred Templeton, Elizabeth Bellamy, Bernice Solomon, Bennie Bishop, and Margaret Sneed; and brothers, Jim Pendleton, Curt Pendleton, Eugene Pendleton and recently Olin Pendleton.

Rayford is survived by wife, Martha; his daughters Wendy (Tracy) Stapleton and Amy (Jeff) Kay; grandchildren Victoria (Benjamin) Stocks, Morgan Ashley Kay, and Tyler Pendleton Kay; sister Claudia Byrd and many special nieces, nephews and friends.

The family will receive friends at the Pendleton residence in New Hope this weekend.

Military Graveside, conducted by the American Hammond Post #3, Kingsport, TN and Post #265, Gate City, VA will be held at 1pm on Saturday, December 16, 2023, at Holston View Cemetery, Weber City, VA with Pastor Steve Templeton and Dennis Grizzle officiating. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

An online guest register is available for the Pendleton family at www.gatecityfunerals.com.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html