Bonnie M. Bray

Bonnie Mae Hammons Bray Bonnie Bray, 65, passed away peacefully in her sleep, Wednesday, October 22, 2014 at her home in Allen, Oklahoma. She was born December 25, 1948 (at home, with her grandmother, Mary Davis, assisting as midwife) to Denton and Eartle Davis Hammons. Bonnie began her education at the one room schoolhouse at Buckhorn and graduated from Webbers Falls High School with the class of 1967. Fresh out of high school, Bonnie began a long career of service to the elderly as a caregiver in the privacy of their home. Bonnie accepted the Lord and was baptized when she was thirteen years old under the ministry of Rev. Walter Collins. That began a life-long love affair between her and her Lord. She was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Muskogee for more than 20 years. For many of those years she cleaned the church along with her caregiving duties. Bonnie was a current member of the First Baptist Church in Allen, Oklahoma. She married Ernest Bray in 1970. To this union her daughter and only child, Shelly Jean was born. This union later ended in divorce. Being a single parent, Bonnie worked two and sometimes three jobs at a time to provide for her daughter and herself. While caring for Jeanie McPherson in Muskogee, she became close friends with Jeanie’s daughter, Barbara. In 2002, Bonnie’s health began to fail and she was not able to work. Barbara invited her into her home and she became Bonnie’s caregiver. Along with Bonnie’s daughter and granddaughter, they cared for Bonnie as she battled diabetes, kidney and heart failure. The battle ended October 22, 2014 at 12:23 p.m. She was preceded in death by her parents, Denton and Eartle Hammons; sister, Sue Nell Dornan and husband, Charles and their two daughters, Beverly and Linda that were killed in the Keefeton tornado in 1973; brothers-in-law, R. L. Ford and Johnny Webster; nieces, Debbie Herriman and Beverly Jackson; and nephew, Edward Dornan. Bonnie is survived by her daughter, Shelly Jean Bray of Warner; granddaughter and the light of Bonnie’s life, Bray-Cee Wilson of Warner; brother, Bobby Hammons and wife, Diana; sisters, Alice Geiger and husband, Richard of Dallas, TX, Mary Jean Webster of Muskogee, and Betty Ford of McLain; uncle, Frank Davis of Keefeton, aunts, Imogene Davis of McLain and Mary Davis of Brewers Bend; and her faithful caregiver, Barbara McPherson; numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends. A graveside service for Bonnie will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, October 27, 2014 at McLain Cemetery in Muskogee County with Rev. Chad Kaminski officiating. Pallbearers will be Chris Hammons, Robby Hammons, Scotty Hammons, Jonathon Hammons, and Kyle Cooper.

Bonnie M. Bray

December 25, 1948 - October 22, 2014