Beverly Ann Bray

Beverly was brought into the world on March 9 1947, at her family farm in rural Chickasaw County, Iowa. She attended one of the last remaining single-room school houses near Nashua, Iowa and later graduated from Nashua High School in 1965 where she was a decorated member of the Thespian Society and the school's Marching Band.

Upon graduation, Beverly married her soulmate David Charles Bray on November 6, 1965. They most recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. On March 8, 1966, Beverly gave birth to twin daughters, Kimberly Margret and Kathleen Helen.

In August of the same year, Beverly and her twin daughters joined David, a Sergeant in the United States Army, while he was stationed in Munich, Germany until his discharge in February 1968.

Following the family's return to Iowa, Beverly began her trailblazing path in the sales and business fields, where she served as a Regional Sales Manager for Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company, an Owner/Regional Independent Manufacturer's Representative for The Superior Group, Sales Manager for the Iowa Casket Company, a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch, along with many other fruitful ventures.

Turning her attention to academics, Beverly earned her Bachelor of Science in Marketing at Upper Iowa University in 1995. Balancing many acts with grace, she would later earn her Masters in Business Administration from Drake University in 1998.

Some of her fondest memories of her career was helping small business owners across the country as a Business Consultant with J.K. Harris & Company and IPA.

A philanthropist who cared for several special causes, Beverly would generously give to animal protection organizations and human wellness campaigns. Curious of her family's genealogy, she would keep all of her loved ones engaged with new findings.

An avid traveler, Beverly got to step foot into nearly 20 countries scattered across three continents. Noteworthy hallmarks were walking on the Great Wall of China, exploring the Colosseum in Rome, visiting the kasbahs of Morocco, gazing into the Swiss Alps, and going up the Eiffel Tower in Paris. She loved to share her passion of travel with her husband, daughters, and grandsons with several memorable trips.

A lover of the outdoors, Beverly enjoyed trout fishing and camping at Yellow River Forest near Decorah, Iowa and the Grassy Narrows Lodge in Ontario, Canada. She would also fill her yard with colorful flowers, tend to a lush garden, and decorate the backyard that took everyone to a vacation paradise.

Beverly is preceded in death by her father, Amos Springer, and her mother, Helen Marovets Springer, one brother and five sisters. She is survived by her husband David Bray, her twin daughters Kimberly Bray-Vaughan and Kathleen Bray, and grandson’s Hunter Phillips and Tyler Vaughan, along with many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

The family plans to hold a private Celebration of Life. A special thank you to the caring nurses and doctors at the John Stoddard Cancer Center, along with the Oncology Department at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa.

Thank you to our family and friends for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. We love you all.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Humane Society at https://www.hsni.org/.