Donald Ray Bolden, Jr., 55, of Brandywine, Maryland

A true son of God, Donald "Ray" Bolden, Jr. Donald was born on May 4, 1968 in Camp Springs, Maryland on Andrews Air Force Base to the late Donald Roscoe Bolden, Sr. and Mary Noella Bolden. He was raised in Suitland, Maryland and attended public schools in Prince George's County where he graduated from Suitland Senior High School in Suitland, Maryland in 1986.

Donald, lovingly referred to by most of his family and friends as "Ray," was raised in Free Gospel Deliverance Church in Coral Hills Maryland where he received Christ and was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit at a very young age. Growing up he usually went to church mumbling and grumbling about having to go, but grew to love attending church and lifting his voice in song. Though he couldn't hold a tune, that never stopped him from raising his voice to the top of his lungs anytime a Fred Hammond or Canton Spirituals song was heard. No matter what he went through, highs or lows, he never stopped giving glory to God for being his strength.

Ray's gift was in his hands and this became evident at an early age. Growing up he fell in love with drawing and artistry and couldn't wait to put his skills on paper. In high school he completed a Trade and Industrial Education Program in Drafting and later went to work at Schefferman and Biegleson Architectural Firm. Later still, he worked alongside his father and brothers cutting hair at Bolden's Barbershop.

Ray took pride in anything he set his hands to do. His love of nature and being outdoors kept him popular amongst his neighbors as he was always called upon to landscape many yards due to the intricate care in which he tended his parents' yard. Ray was an artist whether holding garden or barber clippers.

Ray loved to laugh, kept everyone around him laughing and had a servant's heart. He never met a stranger and considered everyone his friend. Once he met you, you were instantly grafted into his circle and it became his responsibility to make sure he took care of you -- he would move heaven and earth to help his family and friends. He would give from whatever little he had and put his wants last. Whatever you asked him to do, he went above and beyond doing it. No matter what you needed or when you needed it, if it was his to give, it was yours.

Though Ray never married nor was blessed with children of his own, Ray couldn't get enough of and adored his nieces and nephews. Whenever Ray had the opportunity to be around them he turned into a big kid so much that you couldn't tell who was the kid and whom the grown up. Ray would get so involved that you would often find yourself saying "Ray stop that before you hurt yourself or Ray leave those kids alone!" If kids were around, that's where he was, he loved them and they loved him. To this day if you ask his great niece Journii who her best friend is, with a huge grin on her face, her response is always the same -- "Uncle Ray."

Ray's heart's desire was to become a substance abuse counselor. He always spoke of giving back to the community by helping those whose struggle he understood and of whom he could relate. If you ever sat down with Ray, he wasn't shy in sharing what his struggles were and was always confident that he would overcome them one day with the help of God.

What he loved doing more than anything was spending time with his family and friends. But when he wasn't doing that, he loved surfing the web, watching movies, dancing until his knees ached, showcasing his cooking skills, trying to put Amazon out of business and satisfying his sweet tooth.

While Ray may have left this earth to go home to be with his Heavenly Father, we will always consider him a winner because he never gave up the fight.

Ray departed this life on Saturday, May 27, 2023, in Washington, D.C. and is preceded in death by his (father) Donald Roscoe Bolden, Sr., (grandparents) William and Lelia Stevenson, Reed and Eunice Bolden.

Left to cherish his memory:  (mother) Mary Noella Bolden; (siblings) Donna (Richard), Tony, Cassandra (Christopher), Craig, Durand (Kia); (nieces and nephews) Crystal (Joe), Samantha (Aaron), Bryant (Tish), Jeremiah, No'wella (mother, LaKeisha), Chace (mother, Christy); great nieces and nephews: Braylen, Christian, January, Heaven, Journii, Ethan, Shane, Kennedy, Grayson; (special friends) Frederick "Freddie" Harvin, Richard Lewis and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

His viewing will be held on Friday, 9 June 10:00 am until 11:00 am and Home Going Services 11:00 am at the Union Bethel A.M.E. Church, 6810 Floral Park Rd, Brandywine, MD, 20613. Interment will be held at Heritage Memorial Cemetery, 13472 Poplar Hill Road, Waldorf, Maryland 20601.