Pastor Ray Dykes, Lenoir, N.C., died June 11, 2026, at the age of 68. Dykes served as lead pastor at Laytown MB Church for 10 years and had assumed an associate pastor role for health reasons in December 2025.
“Pastor Dykes was a very quiet and humble man,” says Eastern District Minister James Moore via email. “He led by example. He was faithful to the end. When most people would have given up, he kept on fighting. Even in his time of sickness, Pastor Dykes could deliver some powerful sermons in 10 minutes.”
Raymond Anthony Dykes was born Aug. 29, 1957, to William and Eva Dykes in West Virginia. He was one of 10 children.
He began preaching in West Virginia, and, after moving to Lenoir, served as associate pastor at West End MB Church before accepting the lead pastoral role at Laytown.
Dykes loved the Lord, and he loved singing. Well-known for his gospel singing, Dykes was the lead singer at Laytown, and he sang and traveled with numerous groups.
“He lived what he preached, and he was faithful to the end,” Moore says. “I am very thankful that I got to work with Pastor Dykes. (He) had a quote before he would dismiss that has made a huge impact in my life, and I will forever remember it and him. The quote is: ‘God said it, Jesus did it, I believe it and that settles it.’”
Dykes is survived by his wife, Charlotte D. Dixon Dykes, children Ronald Davenport, Larry Dixon, Jr., Ann Dixon Tenu and Charlene Matos, 14 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Read the obituary: dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/lenoir-nc/raymond-dykes-12924415
With files from James Moore and the EDC.
Janae Rempel Shafer is the Christian Leader associate editor and joined the CL staff in 2017. Shafer is an award-winning writer, receiving multiple awards from the Kansas Press Association and Evangelical Press Association. A Tabor graduate with a degree in communications and religious studies, she and her husband, Austin, attend Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, Kansas.
