Tessie A. (Reed) Ray, 100, of Cato, Missouri passed peacefully from her home into her eternal home on June 24, 2023.

She was born January 29, 1923, to George Reed and Elizabeth (Turner) Reed in Thornfield, Mo., who preceded her in death.

Preceded her in death was her husband, Lavern J. Ray; two sons, James Leon Ray and Bobby Wayne Ray; two brothers; five sisters; three grandchildren; two great grandchildren; two sonsin- law and two daughtersin- law.

Survivors include eight children; Ronnie Ray, Luther Ray and his wife Rowena, Mike Ray and his wife Terry, Norma Gibson, Linda Welch, Joyce Bacon and her husband Charles, Mary Harris and her husband Melvin and Pat Furry; one brother, Charles Reed and his wife Karen; one daughterin- law, Freda Ray, widow of Leon Ray; twenty grandchildren; thirty-seven great grandchildren and twenty-seven greatgreat grandchildren.

Her family moved to Cassville where she attended school. After marriage she and Lavern resided in the Shell Knob/ Cato. They attended the Fairview Church in Shell Knob.

She enjoyed the hobby of quilt making. She first made quilts for the necessity of keeping her family warm, but it later became a very enjoyable hobby. Her life was a homemaker and only worked outside the home for a short time in a tomato canning factory near Jenkins, in area strawberry sheds of the 1950’s and later at an area Head Start as a cook.

Funeral Services were held Thursday, June 29, 2023 at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Pastor Philip Welch, Tessie’s grandson, and Pastor Terry Bailie conducted the services. Burial was at Clio Cemetery in Jenkins, Mo.

Contributions may be made to Clio Cemetery in memory of Tessie.