TOOMER, Raynard

Raynard Toomer entered the world at 2:00 PM on December 1, 1949 at Harlem Hospital in New York City, New York. Ray, as he was affectionately known, was the youngest son of four born to Edythe Washington and Jerry Toomer. He was a New Yorker to the core growing up in Harlem where he began his formative years at P.S. 10 in Harlem, New York. Ray was a member of the class of 1964 at Wadleigh Junior High School in Harlem, and the 1967 graduating class at Dewitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, New York.

He studied and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social psychology in 1971 from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. During his tenure at Lincoln, Ray served in various leadership roles including his class vice president. He was selected as the editor of Lincoln’s 13 curriculum program’s compilation of student literary writings during his freshman year. As an upper classman, he served as a member of the Board of Trustees.

Following Lincoln, Ray studied at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1971-1973, where he focused on psychology and race relations. He relocated from Cambridge to Atlanta, Georgia where he began his career at Bellsouth. He married Rosella Ruckes in June 1977. From that union, they were blessed with two daughters, Regan Nicole and Cicely Joi.

Ray’s career span included leadership roles at Bellsouth and Accenture, LLP. Throughout his tenure as a supplier inclusion and diversity manager at Accenture, he also served as a board member for the Greater Women’s Business Council, The Conference Board and Georgia Minority Supplier Diversity Council. After Ray retired from Accenture in 2014, he became principal of his consulting firm, Raynard Toomer, LLC in 2015. Ray enjoyed jazz music, beach trips, reading John Grisham, following the New York Knicks and begrudging the Atlanta Falcons and his New York staples – coffee and deli sandwiches. Most recently, Ray enjoyed being “Papi” to his adoring grandchildren, Remi Rose and Elias Idyn Exeter.

Ray is survived by Rosella Toomer of Atlanta along with daughters Regan Toomer and Cicely Exeter (Peabo) also of Atlanta. He is also survived by his grandchildren Remi and Elias Exeter of Atlanta, brother William Toomer of Brooklyn, New York, and sister, Gwendolyn Scott of New Hope, Pennsylvania. He leaves behind a host of relatives, close friends and loved ones.