Ray Evernham Announces “Celebration of Life” Gesture in Memory of His Recently Deceased First Wife

NASCAR Hall of Famer and former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief, Ray Evernham, is mourning the loss of his first wife, Mary Dowens Evernham. She passed away at the age of 65, after fighting a courageous battle against cancer on February 10, 2024. Even though their 19-year marriage ended long ago, Ray Evernham decided to make a kind gesture towards his ex-wife after her passing.

Taking to X, Ray Evernham appreciated the fans’ heartfelt messages after Mary’s passing. Moreover, he also began an initiative named “Celebration of Life” and invited fans to attend the event and support a noble cause in the memory of his late first wife. The program is scheduled for March 19th at the Old Town Event Center in Cornelius, NC.

Evernham is looking to contribute to a noble cause with the passing of his ex-wife

Ray and Mary, following their separation, were not on talking terms with each other. Moving forward, Evernhman married Erin Crocker, a racecar driver for his team, and Mary decided to move on with her life. Upon her death, Ray Evernham decided to contribute towards a good cause in Mary’s name.

The 66-year-old wrote, “We sincerely appreciate all of the outreach about Mary’s passing and invite you to attend a Celebration of Life on March 19th from 5:30–8:00 pm at the Old Town Event Center in Cornelius, NC. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her memory to the @AutismSocietyNC towards the IGNITE program.”

Evernham, in his Twitter post, urged people to donate to the Autism Society of North Carolina towards the IGNITE program. IGNITE is a community center in Davidson, NC, for young adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger’s. The Members there share ideas, build skills, and enjoy social activities in a judgment-free environment, emphasizing independence and respect.

Before this initiative by Ray, Mary’s family and friends organized a memorial gathering on March 2, which also allowed her close ones and supporters to contribute donations in Mary’s name to the American Cancer Society.

While Ray Evernham and Mary had to part ways from their married life, the gesture by Evernham was indeed a touching one. Many fans who knew Mary from her time with Ray also poured in with messages of condolences on Evernham’s social media handle online.

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