Former Missouri Woman’s Missionary Union President Barbara Bray died Jan. 15 at John Knox Village Care Center in Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Barbara BrayBray was WMU president 1981-86 and lived a lifetime of fulfilling her passion for missions by leading conferences, writing for WMU magazines and authoring two books for WMU.
She was born May 17, 1931, in Hutchison, Kan., to Kenneth and Harriette Birt, who preceded her in death. On June 2, 1953, she married Tom Bray. During their 50-year marriage, they served in 13 full-time and interim pastorates in Missouri, Kentucky and Arkansas. He preceded her on July 9, 2003.
She graduated from Blue Mountain College in 1952 with a bachelor of arts degree and was an accomplished singer, pianist, choir director, teacher, writer and speaker.
She is survived by her children, Martha and Dennis Green, Blue Springs, Mo., Sarah and Larry Jacobs, Nixa, Mo., Becky and B.J. Moyer, Lee’s Summit, Mo., Clark Bray, Bowling Green, Ky., and Dave Hitchcock, Independence, Mo.; grandchildren Amy (David) Jacoby, Adam (Kristi Hitchcock, Nathan (Kala) Jacobs, Rachel (Matt) Canady, Julia Moyer, Kathryn Moyer, Jason (Laura) Bray, Jeremy (Amber) Bray and Stephen (Sophy) Bray; great-grandchildren Addie, Violet and Cooper Jacoby, Trey Dayaw, Ava and Noah Hitchcock, Peyton Lyons, Brinly Jacobs, Susan, Sarah and Joseph Bray, Mallory Bray, and Salah Bray; brother Ken (Pat) Birt; nieces; nephews and others.
Barbara was a member of Fellowship Greenwood in Greenwood, Mo., where funeral services were held on Jan. 20, 2016. Burial was in Knob Noster (Mo.) Cemetery.
The family requests memorial gifts be made to the Missouri WMU Gilpin Fund, the proceeds of which support WMU and other mission efforts.
