Raymond "Friend" Leon Chitwood

Raymond Leon Chitwood, better known as "Friend", age 80 of Pine Knot, Kentucky, passed from this life on Monday, July 22, 2019 at the Jean Waddle Hospice Care Center in Somerset, Kentucky.

After Ray’s passing on Monday morning, the Chitwood family gathered at Wright Cemetery for a private graveside service. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 4:00 pm at the Lower Hickory Grove Baptist Church.  

He was born June 15, 1939 in Williamsburg, Kentucky to the late Curtis Chitwood and Nannie Florence (Meadors) Chitwood. In addition to his parents, Ray is also preceded in death by a son, Randall Ray “Randy” Chitwood; daughter-in-law, Belinda Jayne (Waters) Chitwood; a brother, J.C. Chitwood; sisters, Reba Strunk and Goldie Mae Edwards; and a granddaughter, Randi Elaine Chitwood.

Ray is survived by his wife, Brenda (Stephens) Chitwood, whom he married on November 21, 1959; daughters, Rita Kay Watson and husband, Richard, of Somerset, Kentucky, and Jana Lynn Ball and husband, Ricky A. of Pine Knot, Kentucky; grandchildren, Brian Watson and wife, Morgan, Jacob Watson and wife, Heather, Brooklyne Chitwood, Jonah Broadfoot, Obadiah Broadfoot, Hannah Broadfoot, and Bristol Broadfoot; great-grandchildren, Riley King, Cayden Watson, Myla Watson, and Amelia Watson; and a special friend, Bob Broadfoot.

Ray was a member of the Lower Hickory Grove Baptist Church and was always a light to others. He was always smiling and had an uplifting heart. Ray enjoyed baking pies, especially peanut butter pies, and loved to feed others even more. He also enjoyed making knives, especially those with deer horn handles. He was well known for his gift in repairing them. Many came to him to fix their pocket knives as well as their kitchen knives.  Ray always said, “You got to be a friend to have a friend”. He will be sadly missed.

Pine Knot Funeral Home assisted the family with funeral arrangements.