Bonnie Mae (Neisler) Ray was born December 21, 1928 in Sebastian County, Arkansas to Robert Franklin Neisler and Viola Henley Neisler. She departed this life on January 5, 2022 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
She married Montie Laneal Ray on January 18, 1947 in Sebastian County, Arkansas.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband; son, Keith Ray; sisters, Evelyn Carson and Ina Blackman; brother, R.B. Neisler and a son-in-law, Jim Carter.
Survivors include her daughter, Karen Carter of Greenwood; grandchild, Brock Ray (Jennifer) of New Hope, Minnesota; great grandchildren, Collin Ray and Bonnie Ray of New Hope, Minnesota; daughter-in-law, Barbara Verchot of St. Cloud, Florida; sister, Faye Upton of Huntington; brother, Donald Neisler of Greenwood; numerous nieces and nephews and her best friends, Gwen and Bob Woodhull of Greenwood.
A special thank you to her caregivers, Khristabeth Atkinson, Delanee Benson and Ashton Brownfield. They loved her, spoiled her and gave her the best care possible.
Bonnie was a former member of 40 years of the Dyer Church of Christ, current member of the Dayton Church of Christ and also attended WestArk Church of Christ. She was a longtime seamstress and a former employee of JC Penny alteration department. She was a former president and vice-president of the Good Neighbors EHC Club in Jenny Lind, former president of Sebastian County EHC Club, a state officer of Arkansas EHC and a 50 year member of the EHC.
Bonnie and Montie loved to travel, visiting all 50 states and about 15 foreign countries among them England, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Israel and Egypt. Even as her age advanced, she was always ready to travel…and did! Her last girls’ trip was in November 2021.
Funeral service will be 1 p.m., Saturday, January 8 at Dayton Church of Christ with burial at Liberty Cemetery under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood. Viewing will be 1 – 8 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home, where the family will visit with friends from 5 – 8 p.m. The family will visit with friends at the church building after the service; there will be no committal service.
Honorary pallbearers will be her nephews.
COVID precautions will be in place at McConnell Funeral Home and Dayton Church of Christ. The family request that masks be worn.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or www.stjude.org or to CURE (Compassionate Utilization of Resources) P.O. Box 621, Fort Smith, AR 72902.
To sign an online guestbook, please visit www.mcconnellfh.com.
