Ray Bernard Wardell

Published 9:36 am Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Ray Bernard Wardell, 73, of Drakes Branch, passed away on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at Halifax Regional Hospital.  He was a member of Trinity Gospel Church.  Ray was born on October 19, 1943, in Point Pleasant, NJ, to Pearl and Lefferson Wardell.  He was an avid hunter for most of his life.  Ray loved carpentry and worked as a general contractor for thirty plus years until he was forced to stop due to his illness.  He enjoyed making birdhouses and mailboxes in later years.  On August 14, 1976 he married the former Helen Marie Hulse, also of Point Pleasant NJ.

He is survived by four daughters, Valerie Still (Patches) of North Carolina, Gail VanDyke of New Jersey, Sharon Costanzo of Virginia, Kathy Smith (Arthur) of Virginia; one son, Anthony Costanzo (Camille) of New Jersey; twelve grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; one brother, Gerald Wardell (Sarah)of New Jersey. 

Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Pearl and Lefferson, his wife, Helen Wardell; a son, Dominick Costanzo, and a sister, Ann Parks.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Friday, August 18, 2017, at the Browning-Duffer Funeral Home in Keysville, VA, with interment following in Trinity Gospel Church Cemetery, Drakes Branch.  The family received friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

The Browning-Duffer Funeral Home in Keysville, VA, is serving the family.