Dorothy Pray

Dorothy Rhodes Pray went home to be with The Lord Monday, August 26,2013. Miss Dot, as she was known to many, was born January 6, 1925 in Hartley, Texas. Her family soon returned to their native Mississippi and settled in McComb.

She is preceded in death by her parents, M.T. and Vera Rhodes of McComb; her husband, Hubert Pray of Jackson, her sister; Alice Farnham (Bill) of McComb; her grandsons; Lee Bower of Jackson and Andrew Pray (Courtney) of Dallas, GA. She is survived by her children, daughters Randy Bower (Bill) of Clinton and Pat Sneed of Madison, sons Buster Pray (Martha) of Rogers, AR and Scott Pray (Ann) of Madison, her grandsons; Chris Bower (Krista) of Tallassee, AL and Kevin Bower (Courtney) of Brookhaven, her granddaughter Mandi Carson (Josh) of Ft. Smith, AR, her granddaughter in law Courtney Pray of Atlanta, GA and her step grandchildren Anna Lindsey Hall and Jackson Hall of Madison, great grandchildren; Rose, Jack, Emma, Roman and Graeme Bower, and Noah, Halle and Carson Pray.

The former Miss McComb graduated from McComb High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Piano Performance from The University of Alabama where she was the accompanist for The University of Alabama Choir. The day after she gave her senior recital in Tuscaloosa she was married to her life long friend, Hubert Pray, in McComb. The University Choir made the trip from Tuscaloosa to McComb to sing at their wedding.

The Prays moved to Jackson in 1950 for Mr. Pray to begin his career with Mississippi Power and Light Co. (now Entergy). They became faithful members of The First Baptist Church of Jackson. In the mid ‘50s the Prays moved to the newly developed North Jackson area and joined Colonial Heights Baptist Church. Mrs. Pray became the first pianist and later organist and Mr. Pray held numerous leadership roles in the new church. Her many areas of service at Colonial Heights included directing the hand bell and children’s choirs. She retired from CHBC in 1986 and returned to FBC Jackson where she became involved in various aspects of the FBC Music Ministry including serving as interim organist. She was a faithful member of both the Sanctuary and Reflections Choirs and was voted into The Sanctuary Choir Hall of Fame in 2006.

From 1976 until 2000she served as a keyboard consultant in the Church Music Department of the Mississippi Baptist Convention where she dedicated her time and talents to helping develop and nurture church pianists and organists in Mississippi. She also accompanied “One Voice”, a vocal group made up of church musicians from around the state. In 2002, “in Recognition of Unique and Enduring Contributions to God’s Kingdom Through Church Music”, she was granted a lifetime membership in The Mississippi Baptist Church Music Conference. Her service in church music was not limited to Mississippi, however. Miss Dot held leadership roles at church music conferences across the nation and became an integral member of the Southern Baptist Church Music Conference where she served as a Vice-President and was bestowed The Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.

Miss Dot’s ministry through music spanned eighty three years. She began her ministry at the age of five in McComb, playing piano for the FBC Junior Sunday School Assembly where her father was the department director and concluded recently at Highland Home in Ridgeland where she played for chapel services and was a resident.

Mrs. Pray was also involved with the music and arts community at large. She taught music at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. She was a long time member and past president of The Chaminade and McDowell Music Clubs as well as The Heritage Luncheon Club. She was the rehearsal accompanist for the Mississippi Opera Association, accompanist for The Jackson Little Theatre, The Junior League of Jackson Chorus and innumerable other individual vocalist and groups.

Although she was an accomplished performer in her own right, her two great passions were teaching music to children and accompanying other gifted musicians.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, August 29 at First Baptist Church, Jackson. Visitation will be from 9:30AM until 11:15AM and service at 11:30AM in the Sanctuary. A private burial service will be held in McComb.

In lieu of flowers the family ask that memorials may be made to The Music Ministry, First Baptist Church, Jackson or The Church Music Department of the Mississippi Baptist Convention.