Lillian Earlene Wray

Lillian Earlene Hart Wray, age 91, our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother went home to be with her Lord Jesus Christ on Monday, February 1, 2010 at 3:30 a.m. in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She had suffered for many years from Alzheimer's. Lillian's earthly journey started in Ennis, Texas, on January 4, 1919, as the daughter of Earl and Mary McClure Hart. She had many happy childhood days living on White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas, where her father was the superintendent. She graduated from Dallas Technical High School in 1936. In 1940, while working at Dallas Power and Light, she met a young engineer named Hal Wray. They married on May 2, 1942, and immediately moved to Orange, Texas, where Hal built naval destroyers during WWII. Lillian enjoyed being a full-time mother and homemaker. Hal and Lillian lived all their married life in Orange, owning and operating Wray and White Auto Supply after the war, and making many dear friends. Lillian earned a degree in Elementary Education from Lamar University in 1976, but continued working at Wray and White as treasurer and bookkeeper. In 1980, Lillian lost her husband and best friend, Hal. After Hal died, Lillian devoted herself to service as an expression of her fervent faith. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Orange for most of her life. She is a past president of the United Methodist Women, organized a widows' support group, went to Romania to carry gifts for orphans, and attended a Bible college in Louisiana. She traveled to visit family, and welcomed her aging aunt, Helen Roberts, into her home for five years. She composed and mailed out family letters and kept everyone in touch. In her later years, she moved to Hot Springs, to live with her son Charles Wray and his wife Carolyn. In 2001, she became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She also lived a year and half with her daughter Pat Vassilaros and husband Dan in Pennsylvania. After her Alzheimer's began to get worse, she needed around-the-clock care and resided in Lakewood Nursing Home. The family thanks the staff of Lakewood for the loving attention they gave to Lillian. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her brothers John Hart and Richard Hart, and her sister Betty Hart. She has one surviving sister, Jacqueline Morgan, and many nieces and nephews whom she loved. She also has a surviving brother-in-law, Rowland Lewis and his wife, Neeta, and a sister-in-law, Helen Lewis. She is survived by her daughter Ronda Harris and husband Jim of Georgetown, Texas, and grandchildren James Harris, Kay Archbold, Christy Parsons and Wendy Tingey, her son John Hal Wray and spouse Mel of Austin, Texas, and grandchildren Michael Wray and Angela Christian, her daughter Pat Vassilaros and husband Dan of Allentown, Pennsylvania, grandchildren Ian Vassilaros, Sean Vassilaros, and David Vassilaros, her son Charles Wray and wife Carolyn of Hot Springs, Arkansas, grandchildren Crystal Boyle, Ben Wray, Robert Wray, and Joanna Wray, plus 32 great-grandchildren. Services will be held at 1:00 PM, Saturday, February 6, 2010, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Malvern Avenue, with Bishop Oscar DeVaux officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM, prior to the service on Saturday. Interment will be in the Spring Grove Cemetery, Bonnerdale, under the direction of Davis-Smith Funeral Home, Hot Springs, where She will be buried next to her loyal spouse, Hal, at the Wray family farm in Bonnerdale, immediately following the service. Pallbearers will be John Michael Wray, Benjamin Patrick Wray, Robert Hal Wray, Sean Hal Vassilaros, Ian Anthony Vassilaros, David Daniel Vassilaros, James Edward Harris III, James Edward Harris Jr. and Daniel L. Vassilaros. Honorary pallbearers will be, Bryan Christian, Russell Boyle, Mike Archbold, Rob Parsons and Chris Tingey. Memorials may be made to the Hailey Mayz Foundation (found on Facebook), a foundation started in memory of Lillian's great-granddaughter Hailey Mayz Vassilaros, who passed away in August, 2009. All proceeds go to aiding parents whose children are in Neonatal ICU's. Donations may be sent to: Sean Vassilaros, 19041 Canyon Terrace Drive, Portola Hills, California 92679. Guest registry is at www.davis-smith.com