Obituary of Betty Ruth Gray

Carter-Ricks Funeral Homes Phone 573-898-2181 / Fax 573-898-3148 Newspaper Notice of Death Betty Ruth Gray Funeral services for Betty Ruth Gray of Elsberry, MO were held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, November 30, 2006 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry, MO. Rev. Conrad Cheatham of Elsberry AR Presbyterian Church in Elsberry officiated with burial in Elsberry City Cemetery near Elsberry. Serving as pallbearers were Brad Hagemeier, Brian Hagemeier, Brandon Hagemeier, Bob Gray, Kyle McLean, Dan Bredenkoetter and Bill Langford. Honorary pallbearers were Steven Davis, Ryan Bredenkoetter and Jerry Keeven. Mrs. Gray, 75, died early Tuesday morning, November 28, 2006 at her home in Elsberry, MO. Born October 4, 1931 in Elsberry, MO, she was the daughter of Robert and Vincil Wilson Finley. A lifelong resident of Lincoln County, she was united in marriage on March 23, 1947 in Elsberry, MO to Chester Graham Gray. This union was blessed with six children: Robert, Steve, Terri, Joan, Patti and Dawn. Mrs. Gray was employed for several years at Parts Exchange in Elsberry and later for many years as an electrical installer at Hussman Refrigeration in Bridgeton, MO, retiring in 1994. She enjoyed playing cards and bingo. She was preceded in death by her father, Robert Finley; her mother, Vincil Finley Davis; one brother Robert Finley; and her beloved husband of 55 years, Chester Gray, who died March 22, 2002. Survivors include two sons: Robert Gray of Kansas and Steve Gray of Elsberry, MO; four daughters: Terri Davis and her husband, Rick, of Elsberry, Joan Hagemeier and her husband, Gary, of Elsberry, Patti Sanford and her husband, Bill, of Hannibal, MO and Dawn McLean and her fianc�, Derek Bufford, of Elsberry; fifteen grandchildren; and twelve great-grandchildren. She also leaves her step-mother, Loretta Finely of Silex, MO; one sister, Shelby Phelps of Fort Worth, TX; sister-in-law, Martha Jo Pritchett of Elsberry; several nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends. Visitation was held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry, MO. Memorials may be made to the charity of donor's choice in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South Fifth Street, Elsberry, MO 63343.