Raymond Andrew "Ray" Cockrum, 66, of Miami (Hialeah) and Palatka, passed from this life on February 28, 2023 at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Miami Beach following a very brief illness. Born in Marietta, Georgia on September 26, 1956, Ray grew up and lived most of his life in Hialeah, Florida. In his youth, he was a Boy Scout and as a teenager, ultimately went on to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Hialeah High School and attended First Baptist Church of Hialeah. He worked as a sheet metal mechanic for the Miami Dade County Public School System, and enjoyed the past several years in retirement, spending time about equally at his home in Palatka, FL and in Hialeah. In his spare time, he loved collecting coins, knives, guns, and really cool cars. He loved music, often dedicating beautiful songs to his wife "his sunshine", having fun with his grandchildren (for example by bringing out the go-cart he bought for them to ride, and teaching them to shoot at the range). He also loved going on "adventures" with his wife, family and friends, most recently having visited Alaska, North Carolina, the Florida Keys, and Las Vegas. He was kind-hearted, and deeply loved God, his family, friends, country, and his three dogs (Grace, Mia, and Abbey).

He is survived and will be dearly missed by his wife Joan, daughters Katrina and Amanda, stepdaughters Carrie and Lori, brother and sister-in-law Michael and Laura, sister Denise, grandchildren Ryan, Charlie, Michael, Jesse, Anabella, and Abigail, and nieces Tammy, Michelle, Nicole, and Kimberly, great-nieces Lauren, Savannah, and Marcella, and cousins Gary, Brenda, and Kathy.

Funeral services will be held at 11a.m. on Thursday, March 9th at Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home in Palatka with Bro. Ricky Bybee officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery in Palatka. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday beginning at 10:00 am until time of services.

Services will be livestreamed and can accessed by clicking https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTY3ODEzNzE0NDIzOTQ4MiZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==

Memories and condolences may be expressed to the family at Raymond’s Book of Memories at www.johnsonoverturffunerals.com .

Arrangements are entrusted to Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home in Palatka.