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Submitted: 10/30/23 • Approved: 10/31/23 • Last Updated: 11/3/23 • R1508059-G1508059-S3
November 22, 1919 - February 22, 2014
Wife of Joseph Walker Raymond
Ina Lee Utley Raymond, 94, of Fort Smith passed away Saturday, February 22, 2014 in Fort Smith. Ina Lee was born November 22, 1919 at McClain's Bottoms, which was between Paris, Arkansas and the Arkansas River.
Ina Lee was the youngest of seven children born to Burl Utley and Fannie White Utley. She attended seven different schools growing up, as her family moved about, graduating from high school in England, Arkansas when she was sixteen years old. Then independently Ina Lee moved to Fort Smith and began supporting herself. Ina Lee's first employment was Dyke Brothers Lumber Company, where she worked for ten years. She was baptized in 1937 at Immanuel Baptist Church. Her career as a church secretary began in 1946, and spanned forty-five years, first at Immanuel Baptist, and then at South Side Baptist Church. Ina Lee loved reading books her entire life. She started the church library at South Side Baptist in the corner of her secretarial office in 1950 with 15 books, 10 donated from church members, and five donated by the Baptist Sunday School Board. In 2006, South Side named the library in her honor. She served as the librarian until shortly before her death. Ina Lee married J. Walker Raymond in 1967, acquiring a ready-made family.
She is survived by her stepson, Thomas Raymond and wife Ann of Fort Smith, daughter-in-law Rolande Raymond of Biddeford, Maine; grandchildren, Linda Raymond Trescher and husband William of Hummelstown, PA, Laura Raymond Swann and husband Tod of Waco, TX., Peter Raymond of Clarks Summit, PA, Johnathan Raymond and wife Stephanie of Maine; seven great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews from the Utley family. She was preceded in death by her husband J. Walker Raymond, her parents, all of her brothers and sister, and stepson John Walker Raymond.
Funeral service will be Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 10:00 AM in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow in Roselawn Cemetery all under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Peter Raymond, Charles Barnett, David Laffoon, Jerry Laffoon, Earl Lininger, and Robert H. Utley.
Photo courtesy of Frances Allen Titsworth
Contributed on 10/30/23 by Billsully060
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Record #: 1508059