Viva Jean Ray, 92, of Lebanon, died early Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, at James River Nursing and Rehabilitation in Springfield.
She was born May 28, 1929, in Kellyville, Okla. to Charles Millard and Della M. McGuire Childers.
On Feb. 21, 1948, she married Cecil Darrell Ray, and to this union three daughters and one son were born.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son, Ken Ray; her grandson, Kevin; her son-in-law, Raymond Weaver; her brothers, Buel, Hays, Euin, Herb, and John Childers; her sisters, Syble Young, Alma Haapala, Florene Teer, and Dorothy Moore.
Viva Jean moved to Eldridge, Mo. with her family when she was young. After her marriage to Cecil, she lived in California, Arkansas, and Missouri, living most of her later years in Lebanon. She worked as a homemaker and as a babysitter. Viva was, in fact, a very highly sought after babysitter.
She followed the Baptist faith.
Survivors include three daughters, Jeannie Weaver of Lebanon; Pat Heafley and her husband Van Allen of Lebanon, and Sharon Stone and her husband Joe of Lebanon; 18 grandchildren, Kimberly, Teressie, Doyle, Alice, Kendra, Robert, Terri, Regina, Bill, Ginger, Joseph, Bobby, Garrett, Katie, Sab, Kenny, Skyler, Heaven; a number of great-grandchildren; a number of great-great-grandchildren; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Viva Jean Ray will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2022, at the Holman-Howe Funeral Home in Lebanon with the Rev. Tim Blankenship officiating. Burial will be in the Hufft Cemetery near Eldridge, under the direction of Holman-Howe Funeral home. A memorial has been established and contributions may be made through the funeral home. For more information or to visit the website go to www.holmanhowe.com.
