Joseph Mccray

Joseph Eugene McCray, age 81, of Mt. Carroll passed away Monday, August 23, 2021 at FHN Hospital, Freeport, IL. A celebration of life service will be held 10:30 a.m., Thursday, September 2, 2021 at Law Jones Funeral Home, Mt. Carroll. Visitation will be held 4:00-8:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at the funeral home.
Joseph was born June 8, 1940 in Mt. Carroll, the son of James and Ada (Jones) McCray. He is a 1958 Mt. Carroll High School graduate, and in July of 1958 Joe enlisted in the US Navy serving at the Great Lakes Naval Base. Joe enjoyed trapping, going to air shows and Ham Radio, using the call signals N9DLD and NA9VY. He worked as a farmhand and at the old Jolly Green Giant Cannery in Lanark. On June 22, 1973, Joe married Kimberly Pidde at the First Baptist Church in Mt. Carroll. They raised five children and celebrated 48 years of marriage.

Joe discovered he was pretty good at taking pictures, and he started working for the local paper, Mirror Democrat. He also took photos for the Carroll County Review. It was never a surprise to see Joe on the sidelines capturing memories at sporting events. He had a special talent at seeing life through the lens of his camera.

You could find a friend in Joe, he was always willing to listen….and tell his stories. Family was the most important part of his life. He raised his children to respect the military, especially the Navy. He loved watching his grandchildren thrive in life. Joe shared his many stories with family, friends and strangers, and usually on more than one occasion!
He was a member of the Palisades Amateur Radio Club, Volunteer with US Sea Cadets in Dubuque and in Great Lakes. He also volunteered with the Navy RDAC.

Joseph will be dearly missed by his wife, Kim McCray of Mt. Carroll; their five children, Autumn McCray of Mt. Carroll, Joseph (Julia) McCray of Morrison, Heather Adamec of Milledgeville, Christopher McCray of Fort Meade, Maryland and Daniel (Katy) McCray of San Diego, CA; fourteen grandchildren, Donovan and Nicholas Smith, Daisy Rose McCray, Aaron, Brady and Madison McCray, Isabella and Ashlynn Poisal, Courtney Schmidt, Bridget and Dalton Adamec, Alex, William and Juliette McCray; a sister, Kathleen Woodley of Pekin, Illinois; a sister-in-law, Iris McCray of Westminster, CA; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Joe is preceded in death by both parents, James and Ada McCray; two grandchildren, Logan McCray and Faith Adamec; four siblings, Virginia (McCray) Gedgate, Robert McCray, Marjorie (McCray) Buckwalter, and Frank Oliver McCray in infancy.