Beverly Roberta Ray

Beverly Roberta Ray was born on April 18, 1917 in East Jaffrey, New Hampshire to Robert Samuel and Marion (Kelly) Boak. She passed away on Wednesday, October 6, 2010 at the age of 93 years, 5 months, and 18 days. She was comforted at the very moment of her passing by her three children. She credited her relative long life to faith, family, and freedom-independence.
Beverly graduated high school in East Jaffrey, New Hampshire and the Rochester School of Nursing, Rochester, New Hampshire where upon she became a life long Registered Nurse (RN). She met her husband, Jerome, during WWII in New England. She and her husband cared for the sick and injured of the war; she as an RN and Jerome as a Navy Hospital Corpsman. Throughout her life she practiced her profession in hospitals, clinics, physician offices, school nursing and public health settings throughout the U.S. She was retired from both the state of Arizona school nursing program and the U.S. Public Health Service.
She enjoyed living and practicing her profession in several midwestern and western states; however, remained an independent New Englander her entire life. She was proud to live free and independent until the very end. At the age of 93, she could still be seen driving her automobile in Mountain Grove as she made her travels to church, the YMCA, Senior Center, and volunteer services with the American Red Cross, and participation in Relay For Life.
Her love for New England took her back to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts many times. She enjoyed the rugged coast line, sandy beaches, and cold waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. She was generally accompanied by children or grandchildren including a memorable cross country trip with her four grandchildren to Maine where they rented a summer beach home.
Besides her parents, Beverly was also preceded in death by her husband, Jerome, and by her brother and sister.
Beverly is survived by three children: Imogene Ray and Carolyn of rural Cabool, Missouri; Roberta Ray Kipp and Darrell of Browning, Montana; and Arthur B. Ray and JoAnn of rural Mountain Grove, Missouri; four grandchildren: Darren Kipp of Babb, Montana; Kimberly and Adam Baldwin of McPherson, Kansas; Christine and Sean Cawood of Stillwater, Oklahoma; and Shawn and Nikki Ray of Yale, Oklahoma; and five nephews and nieces.

Memorial Contributions:
American Cancer Society
Relay For Life
Kaawa' Pomaokaa Society, Browning, Montana (Animal Rescue)