Mattie Elizabeth McCray's Obituary
Mattie Elizabeth McCray, 76, of Springdale, Arkansas died Wednesday, October 03, 2007 at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale. She was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on August 8, 1931 to Robert Taylor and Katie Newcomb Lyons. She attended the University of Tennessee, where she received a BA in English in 1953. She moved to Oklahoma City shortly after, marrying George McCray in December of 1955. She completed work on an MA while there. She began teaching, her life-long career, at Young High School. She returned to Knoxville briefly, teaching at Noris High School. In 1964, she moved to Fort Smith, joining her sister Katie Dyer, who was already living in Ft. Smith with her husband, Jack Dyer and their two sons, Steve and Christopher. Ms. McCray taught first at Kimmons Jr. High School, where her first student teacher, Paula Bevill, became a lifelong friend. She later taught for many years at Fort Smith Northside High School, until she retired from teaching in 1996. She was recognized as Ft. Smith's Outstanding Educator in 1982; she was especially happy directing school plays and supervising debate teams.
She is survived by her two daughters; Adrianne McCray of Fort Smith and Suzanne McCray of Fayetteville; by her grandchildren Bobbie Ann Kelly (husband Jonathan Kelly) and Danielle Grober (husband Michael Grober) of Fort Smith, Bob Cochran of Brooklyn, New York, Shannon Phillips (husband Sam Phillips) of San Francisco, Masie Cochran (husband Duncan Skiles) of Manhattan, New York, and Jesse and Taylor Cochran of Fayetteville; and by her son-in-law Robert Cochran of Fayetteville. Also surviving are her sister Katie Dyer of Fort Smith, her nephew Steven Dyer of Salisbury, North Carolina, and her two great nieces, Kelly Dyer of Omaha, Nebraska and Tracy Dyer of Chicago, Illinois. She was thrilled when her one great grandchild Robert Samuel (Robin) Phillips, was born in San Francisco in August. Other family survivors include
Ann Gorbet of Oklahoma City, Larry and Ruby Rogers of Tuttle, Oklahoma, Darrell McCray of Clinton, Oklahoma, and Carolyn Hill of Manhattan, Kansas. She leaves many friends (including the dear friends of her reading club) and former students.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday, October 8, 2007 at St. Catherine's at Bell Gable (2140 Stone Chapel Lane, off Mt. Comfort Road in Fayetteville) with Rev. Doug Simmons officiating. Visitation will be held at Nelson-Berna Funeral Home & Crematory (4520 N. Crossover Road, Fayetteville, AR) from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM Sunday. Memorial contributions may be made to Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale, Arkansas, through Nelson-Berna Funeral Home.
To sign the online guestbook go to www.nelsonberna.com
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Nelson-Berna Funeral Home and Crematory of Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Visitation Date Time Sunday, October 7, 2007 2:00 PM till 4:00 PM Visitation Location Chapel of Nelson-Berna Funeral Home. Service Date Time Monday, October 8, 2007 2:00 PM Service Location At the St. Catherine's at Bell Gable, 2140 Stone Chapel Lane, off of Mt. Comfort Road in Fayetteville.
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