Wanda Carole McCord, 77, of Henderson, Kentucky, went to Heaven on the morning of July 16, 2023, at St. Anthony's Hospice Lucy Smith King Hospice Center in Henderson, Kentucky.

Wanda Carole Ray was born in Savoy (Whitley County), Kentucky, on September 1, 1945, to Norris and Myrtle Ray.  Wanda was a Coal Miner's daughter and grew up moving to different counties following the coal mines in Jellico, Tennessee, Williamsburg, Kentucky, and Lake City, Tennessee.  Her family moved to Chillicothe, Ohio, when she was in elementary school.  That is also where she met and married the love of her life, Thomas Michael McCord, on July 2, 1966, and had two children, Scott and Stacey.  As a family, they lived in Chillicothe, Ohio, and Jackson, Mississippi, and then moved to Henderson, Kentucky in 1977.

Mom retired from the Green River District Health Department in Henderson, Kentucky, was a member of Community Baptist Church in Henderson, Kentucky, the Welcome Wagon Club, Dream Factory, Beta Sigma Phi for adult working women, and a Bunco group, all where she gained many lifelong friends.  She was a breast cancer survivor.  Mom enjoyed spending time with her immediate and extended family, her church family and friends.  Her favorite past time was being with her grandkids playing in the pool and on beach vacations.  She also loved family time and vacations with her husband, her son and daughter while they were growing up.  Mom loved her cats very much and enjoyed having them as companions and loved having them on her lap when watching TV.  We believe she loved them the most.  She also loved the many animals her daughter rescued over the last 40 + years and loved being called Gannyma to them all.

Wanda was preceded in death by her husband of 21 years, Tom, who died in 1987, both of her parents, and two brothers, Don Ray & Harold Ray.

She is survived by her son, Scott McCord and her daughter-in-law, Carla McCord, of Evansville, Indiana; her daughter, Stacey McCord-Crooks and her son-in-law, Richard Tracy Crooks, II, of Henderson, Kentucky; her granddaughters, Lindsey McCord, Katelyn McCord and Kendyl McCord; her stepgrandsons, Nick Heistand and his wife, Erin, and Austin Jones, and Brock Jones; her great-grandson, Koen; her stepgreat-granddaughter, Karsyn; her brothers, Vernon Ray of Mandeville, Louisiana, and Marvin Ray and his wife, Linda, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; her cats, Cashew & Little Bit; plus many nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by her beloved lifelong best friend, Carol Saultz Korshner, of Chillicothe, Ohio; and her best friends David and Sandy Wallace and Lou Ann Steele, all of Henderson, Kentucky. A special thank you to her neighbors Eddie & Tyler Washington who were always there when she needed anything and loved visiting with her.

Funeral services will be at noon Friday, July 21, 2023, at Community Baptist Church.  Dr. Tim Hobbs will officiate.  Burial will be in Fairmont Cemetery.

Visitation will be from  10 a.m. until service time Friday at the church.

Pallbearers will be Mat Ray, Marshal Ray, Patrick Carson, Charles Lawrence, Tyler Washington, and Nick Heistand.

In lieu of flowers, Wanda requested tax deductible donations be made to Cheyenne's Hope Farm Sanctuary & Hebejebe Bluegrass Standardbred Retirement Organization, P.O. Box 25, Corydon, Kentucky 42406. These two special needs animal rescue divisions were established and are run by her daughter and son-in-law.

Rudy-Rowland Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be made at www.rudyrowland.com.