Barbara Jean Wray (1938-2021)

WRAY, WORTHING

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 6/14/2021 at 08:01:38

BARBARA JEAN WRAY Cedar Rapids
Barbara Jean Wray, 82, of Cedar Rapids, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 11, 2021, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy. Celebration of Life services will be noon Tuesday, June 15, at Brosh Chapel and The Avacentre in Cedar Rapids, located at 2121 Bowling St., SW. Private family burial will be in Oakland Cemetery in Solon. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Tuesday, June 15, at Brosh Chapel. Barbara was born Sept. 29, 1938, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Kenneth and Helen (Worthing) Stewart. She graduated from Cedar Rapids Wilson High School, Class of 1956. She met her beloved Richard at DanceMor Ballroom, in Swisher, and in 1958, they married in Redwood City, Calif. They returned to Iowa, where they had two daughters, and spent the remaining years of their lives. In the 1980s and 1990s, Dick and Barb were the proud owners of the Stop Off Bar. After retirement, they spent their winters on the white sandy beaches of Panama City Beach, Fla. With Dick's passing in 2004, Barb continued the yearly trek until 2020. She enjoyed gardening, water aerobics and was an active member of the Czech Society of America (CSA). Family and friends were a pivotal part of her life, she embraced all members of her family, as well as her dear friends, the Urbans, Barbara Miller, and neighbors Jill and Elvira. Her constant companion, later in life, was her furbaby Tira. One of her greatest joys was her great-grandson, Bradley. She lived a life of kindness, grace and acceptance. She loved to laugh, have a good time, and drink one of Jim's gin and tonics. Her smile will be missed. Cherish your memories of her. Barbara is survived by her daughter, Carrie (Jim) Maxson of Cedar Rapids; her grandchildren, Dillon Maxson and Lauren Beadle; her great-grandson, Bradley; her siblings, Jack (Darlene) Hardin, Susan (Nino) Gallo, Chuck (Annette) Stewart and Maybelle (Bob) Lorenc; as well as her numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dick; her daughter, Tracy Beadle; her sister, Sandy Bramer; and her brother, Kenneth Stewart Jr. Memorials may be directed to Hospice of Mercy. The family would like to extend a special thank-you to Cathi Kane, Hospice of Mercy and the staff at the Hospice House. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.broshchapel.com.

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Published in The Gazette on Jun. 14, 2021.