Mary Louise McRay

Mary Louise McRay was born February 4, 1930 to Wilbon Thomas Sr. and Ada Brown Thomas in Midway, Bullock County, Alabama. She was the ninth of ten children born to this union. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior early in life and united with the Mount Coney Baptist Church of Midway and later the First Baptist Church of Brownsville in Miami, Florida. She earned a high school diploma from The Merritt School in Midway, Alabama on June 10, 1949.

Mary was united in holy matrimony on June 11, 1949 to Thomas Jefferson McRay of Ozark, Alabama. They were married in Ft. Gaines, Georgia and lived in Ozark, Alabama until 1954 when they moved to Florida, eventually settling in Miami, Florida. From this union, seven children were born. They celebrated 50 years of matrimony shortly before Mr. McRay’s passing on March 6, 2000. Mary enjoyed gardening, cooking, quilting, fishing and picture puzzles, but cherished the most spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In 2010, Mary was diagnosed with an early onset of Alzheimer's Disease. She relocated to Grand Prairie, Texas where her daughter, Ada French-Goring, became her primary caregiver. In 2011, Mrs. McRay entered a memory care facility in the Grand Prairie area and remained until her passing.

Mary was preceded in death by: her parents, Wilbon Thomas Sr. and Ada Brown Thomas; her paternal grandparents, Sam and Margret Hall Brown; her maternal grandparents, M. Allen and Pricilla Anglin, her loving and devoted husband, Thomas Jefferson McRay; her son, Charles Jefferson McRay; eight siblings: Andrew Thomas Sr., Charles B. Thomas, Saint Timothy Thomas Sr., Fannie M. Boykin, Sadie T. Temple, Annie B. Raybon, Wilbon Thomas Jr., Elvira T. Pryor and three half siblings: Dolly A. Fortson, Floyd Thomas and Eva. T. Warren.

Mrs. McRay leaves many precious memories with her six surviving children: Thomasena J. McRay-Footman (Charles) of Charlotte, North Carolina; Ada M. French-Goring (Kenneth) of Grand Prairie, Texas; Marvin D. McRay (Wanda) of Atlanta, Georgia; Therolee A. Lewis of Hialeah, Florida; Nelson McRay (Sonya) of Roswell, Georgia and Nathan McRay of Miami, Florida; one sister, Inez T. Mariner of Akron, Ohio; 12 grandchildren; Charlette M. Green, Annette M. French, Anastasia L. McRay, Melvin E. French II, Charles L. McRay, Anthony L. McRay, Christina J. McRay, Andria P. McRay, Dina E. Lewis, Derek K. Lewis, Nia N. McRay, Nevin S. McRay; 11 great grandchildren; Antonishia D. McRay, Ashley D. Sandoval, DeVonté L. Hart, Ashanti X. McRay, Alishia R. Sandoval, Ahmaad A. McRay, Melvin E. French III, Raja A. Green, Austin O. Young, Amari L. McRay, Logan G. Davis-McRay, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, friends and neighbors.

Visitation in the Greater Dallas-Fort Worth area will be held on Thursday, May 11, 2023 from 5pm to 7:30pm at Bean-Massey-Burge Funeral Home, 2951 S. Belt Line Road, Grand Prairie, Texas 75052. Funeral services and interment will be held in Miami, FL on May 15, 2023.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.beanmasseyburge.com for the McRay family.