Willie Ray Jenkins, 80, Doraville native twice elected mayor

Ray Jenkins had a lifelong love affair with Doraville.

He was born and reared there, served as a city councilman for 30 years, and twice was elected as Doraville's mayor.

As mayor, Mr. Jenkins was eminently approachable. "He kept his office door open to the citizens of Doraville and his heart open as well," said Diane Pittman, a councilwoman who was elected Doraville's acting mayor last week after Mayor Jenkins' death.

Maria Alexander, a longtime Doraville resident, said when Mayor Jenkins saw a newcomer in the audience at a City Council meeting, he would make a point to greet him or her afterward and get acquainted.

Among his initiatives, Ms. Pittman said, were the strengthening of the police force, creation of a city ethics code, the upgrading of parks and the establishment of programs for seniors.

Doraville Councilman Brian Bates said he thought what Mayor Jenkins was most proud of was the fact that Doraville, throughout his two terms, remained debt-free. "Not only that, we still have a reserve," he said.

Mayor Jenkins even approved a proposal to alter the city's strong-mayor system in favor of a city manager form of  government.

"Ray was a dedicated public servant who wanted the very best for Doraville," said former DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Liane Levetan. "He realized the times were changing, and to keep up, his city had to manage its affairs in the most professional manner possible."

Willie Ray Jenkins, 80, died Wednesday at Hospice Atlanta of pulmonary complications. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at H.M. Patterson & Son, Oglethorpe Hill, with burial to follow at 2:30 p.m. at the Georgia National Cemetery, Canton. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice Atlanta, 1244 Park Vista Dr., Atlanta, GA 30319.

The only time Mayor Jenkins strayed far from Doraville was his service in the U.S. Navy.

During the Korean War, he was a gunner's mate aboard the battleship USS Wisconsin when it engaged in an artillery exchange with a North Korean shore battery. He told his family that one North Korean shell hit just a few feet away from his gun turret.

Upon his return, Mr. Jenkins began a 30-year career as a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier in Atlanta's Brookhaven neighborhood. In addition, he had a busy sideline as a handyman.

"Dad could do many household jobs -- plumbing, roofing, woodworking, basic electrical fixes, even additions to houses," said his son, Douglas Jenkins of Lake Hartwell.

One of his regular clients was Brien Key, Oglethorpe University professor of history emeritus.

"Ray did a lot of fine household projects for me," he said. "The only problem I had with him was that I thought he undercharged. I always felt what he did was worth more than his fee."

When Mr. Jenkins first decided to run for mayor, Mr. Key offered to make a contribution to his campaign, but Mr. Jenkins said he wouldn't accept contributions from anyone in his 2003 race.

"I thought that was the right thing for him to do," Mr. Key said. "That way, if he was elected, he would be beholden to no one. His sense of integrity was one of the most appealing things about him."