McClain Chapel Pentecostal Church

Ray Crocker was born on his family farm near Philadelphia, Mississippi on 18 May 1944. He finishes high school in 1963 and worked at Miami Windows in Meridian, MS and Garan Inc in Philadelphia, MS before joining the Mississippi Army National Guard on 21 February 1964. He completed his basic and advance individual training before returning to Garan in 1966. He left Garan to work for U.S. Motors where he remained until September 1979. Ray attended the Ordnance Officers' Advances Course, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, in 1979 and 1980. He remained on Active Duty to work as a Special Project Officer for the United States Army Ordnance Center and School in Aberdeen, Maryland for 17 months before being assigned for the first time to a job in the Pentagon. In 1984, he was transferred to the United States Armed Forces Command in Atlanta, Georgia. He remained in this assignment until January 1987, when he was transferred to the United States Army Tank Automotive Command in Detroit, Michigan. He remained in this assignment until August 1989.

Ray was nominated to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, DC, and graduated in June 1990. Upon graduating from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces Ray was promoted to the rank of Colonel and again assigned to a job in the Pentagon which he worked June 1990. Ray's next assignment kept him in the Pentagon where he worked until his organization was displaced in 1993 to facilitate the renovation of the Pentagon Building. Ray served in this facility until his retirement in October 1998.

Ray's military schooling includes the Ordnance Officer's Basic and Advanced Courses, the Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He received a Bachelor of Science from the University of the State of New York in 1988 and his masters in Business Administration from Averett College in 1992. Ray's awards include the Legion of Merits (1 OLC), Department of the Army Staff Badge, Meritorious Service (6 OLC), Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Reserve Component Achievement Medal (2 OLC). Additionally, Ray was nominated and voted into the Mississippi Army National Guard Officer Candidate School and the United States Army Ordnance Corp Halls of Fame. He also was awarded the United States Army Artillery Corps Ancient Order of Saint Barbara and the United States Army Ordnance Corp Samuel L. Sharp Awards for outstanding support during peace and wartime.

Ray and Colleen returned to their farm after retiring from the United States Army in 1998. Since his retirement, Ray continues to serve his community and was elected to the North West Kemper Water Association Board of Directors, a Commissioner for the East Neshoba Fire Protection District and a Deacon at McClain Chapel Pentecostal Church. He also served over a year as the Neshoba County Veterans Service Officer and Commander of the local American Logon Post for two years.