Winton Ray Fenner

Winton “Ray” Fenner departed this earthly realm, early in the morning, on January 22, 2019, in Chestertown, Maryland. He was 77 years old. Ray was the oldest of 10 children born to Fleetwood and Linea Fenner in Columbia, North Carolina. He graduated from Tyrrell County High School in Columbia, North Carolina. Ray received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Elizabeth City State University. He obtained his Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision from Morgan State University. Additional studies were completed at Shaw University, North Carolina Central University, East Carolina University, Loyola University Maryland, and the University of Maryland. He began his career in 1963 with a teaching position in Jamesville, North Carolina and continued by returning to Tyrrell High School to teach General Science, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. He coached championship basketball teams at Tyrrell and Columbia High Schools that are still talked about in Eastern North Carolina. In 1973, he moved his family to Kent County, Maryland after receiving a teaching position at Kent County High School. He taught General Science, Physical Science, and Mathematics. He coached the boy’s junior varsity basketball team and started the tennis team who won championships in the Bayside conference. He worked as Athletic Director and Academic Assistant Principal. He was assigned Principal of Galena Middle School and completed his tenure in 2008 as Supervisor of Pupil Services. Ray’s mother was extremely proud of her high school diploma and she instilled in him the desire to get an education. He motivated his family and students to study hard and to be the best they could be. He taught his youngest sister to read when he returned home from college on weekends using a Sally, Dick, and Jane book. Ray motivated his siblings and other family members to obtain college degrees. He marched in the 1960’s so everyone would have equal opportunities and a chance for success. Ray loved the fact his children were academically successful. The day he took his grandson to the University of Delaware for a football tryout he told the coach he was a scholar athlete. He never forgot he was told he couldn’t go to college, but he worked his way through and was determined to help others. He received the Excellence for Minority Achievement Award from the Maryland State Superintendent of Education. Ray was a civic minded person who chaired the Education Committee of the Kent County NAACP. He was a past member of the Rotary and Optimist Clubs of Chestertown, Maryland. Ray loved to return often to North Carolina to Chapel Hill Baptist Church in Columbia, North Carlina and St. John’s Baptist Church in Creswell, NC. He looked forward to Rev. Brown calling on him to sing the old gospel hymns at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Chestertown. Broadening his horizons kept him busy in writing a book titled The Minority Child and Self-Esteem, singing gospel music (especially Sam Cooke songs), and publishing two CD’s titled Old School Gospel and Songs of Haiti. He loved sports (Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Dodgers), gardening, reading, traveling, and camping with family at Pettigrew State Park in Creswell, NC. Ray was preceded in death by his father, Fleetwood Fenner, his mother, Linea Fenner, brother, Billy Fenner, a nephew, Dwight Fenner, Jr., and an infant daughter, Katura Rae. Ray leaves many loved ones to cherish his memories. He leaves his devoted wife of 54 years Beatrice Marie Thompson, his son Kenneth Fenner, Sr. and wife Coretta, and their son Kenneth, Jr. (Owings Mills, MD), daughter Princess Battle and her children Derek T. Battle and Kendall Battle (Sparks, MD), and daughter, Dr. Raenita A. Fenner and her husband Dr. Anthony Plummer, Jr. (Elkridge, MD). He also leaves his eight loving siblings and their spouses, Jean Carolyn Burroughs, Carl Fenner (Nadirah), Fleetwood Donald Fenner, Dwight Fenner (Precilla), Neal Fenner (Bridget), Sharon McDade (Joel), Dr. Gregory Fenner, and Christopher Fenner (Cheryl). Additionally, he leaves his cherished aunt Iva Grey Stewart, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will miss him dearly. Ray has gone to be with his Lord who he sang about in so many churches.

Winton Ray Fenner

August 30, 1941 - January 22, 2019