Molly Bullard McRae, 59, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 20, following a lengthy but courageous battle with cancer.
Molly was predeceased by her parents, Ray and Clelia Bullard of Jacksonville; her mother-in-law, Beth Whitaker McRae, and brother-in-law, Vernon A. (Mac) McRae, III, both of Valdosta; and her niece, Roslyn Boushee Henderson of Jacksonville.
She is survived by her husband of almost 36 years, Jesse Pittman McRae, M.D., and their three sons: Jesse Whitaker McRae, Tampa; Franklin Pierce McRae, Jacksonville, and his fianc�e, Susana Ord��ez and her son, Sim�n, Colombia, South America; and Martin Miles McRae, Jacksonville. She is also survived by her three sisters: Clelia Davis, Jacksonville; Britt Pease (Rick), Laurens, SC; Roslyn Volpe (Tim), Jacksonville; and her sister-in-law, Chris McRae Austin (Max), Valdosta. Her surviving nieces and nephews are Michael McRae (Ashlee), Valdosta; Elizabeth McRae Austin (Harding), Bozeman, MT; Clelia Davis Keen (Jerry), Atlanta; Marshall Davis, III (Mary Michael), Laurens, SC; Lt. Raymond Davis, USN, Atsugi, Japan; and Joshua Volpe (Tara), Kaye Stegink (Tim), and Leigh Volpe, all of Jacksonville. She also leaves behind two great-nieces and five great-nephews, aunts, uncles, and numerous cousins, all of whom she remained close to throughout her life.
Molly was born on December 17, 1957, in Wilmington, NC, the third of four sisters. The family moved to Jacksonville in 1960 with Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (now CSX). She graduated from Robert E. Lee High School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Florida, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta fraternity. She was active in church and civic organizations and loved to play bridge, but she most enjoyed spending time with family and friends at The Cove, the McRaes’ river home near Palatka.
Another of Molly’s loves was Argentina, where she spent her junior year of high school. She maintained friendships forged there throughout her life, traveling to the country on numerous occasions, introducing it to her husband and sons, and hosting her Argentinian friends and their children at her home for extended periods of time.
Visitation with the family will be held on Friday, September 22, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at The Friday Musicale, L’Engle Hall, 645 Oak Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204.
Following a private burial at Prospect Cemetery in Jasper, FL, a memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 23, at 2:30 p.m. at the Ortega Campus of First Baptist Church, 4865 Roosevelt Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL, 32210. A reception will follow in the church Fellowship Hall.
It was Molly’s wish that, in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be made to Family Promise of Jacksonville, P.O. Box 40363, Jacksonville, FL 32203, or to the Roslyn Henderson (Volpe) Memorial Fund, Jacksonville Humane Society, 8464 Beach Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32216.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Naugle Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Jacksonville, 1203 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207.
