Fern Gray

Fern Daily Gray, 85, of Topeka died Wed., March 2, 2005 at St. Francis Hospital, Topeka. She was born Oct. 18, 1919 at Neosho Rapids, KS the daughter of Charles Victor and Mary Charlotte Bills Daily. Her family had settled in Lyon County in 1855. During World War II Fern was the first female certified airframe welder in Wichita. After leaving Junior High to help support her family she went on to complete Bachelor's and Master's Degrees with honors at Emporia State. She taught at McClure for 19 years before retiring. Mrs. Gray was a member of Countryside United Methodist Church and Shawnee County Landlords Association. She was married to Howard Samuel "Sam" Gray on May 18, 1941 at Council Grove, KS. He preceded her in death on May 6, 1991. She was also preceded in death by a grandson Donavan Love Gray, 3 sisters: Leona Mayhill, Charlotte Kemp, Dorla (Kay) Sharp, 4 brothers: Homer Dailey, Roger Daily, Ross Daily, Eldon Daily. Surviving are a daughter: Gaylynn Dickey of Meriden; 2 sons: Gerald Gray of Lawrence and Geoffrey Gray of Meriden; 4 grandchildren: R. Darrick Karns, Jennifer Gray, and Sheila Henderson of Topeka, and Hannah Gray of Lawrence; a great-grandson: Darrick E. Karns of Topeka; 4 sisters: Adeline Wood, Faye Jaggard, and JoAnne Fowler of Emporia, Mary Clemmer of Tampa, and a brother: Charles "Loy" Daily of Wichita. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m., Sat. March 5, 2005 at Countryside United Methodist Church. Committal services will be at 2:30 p.m. Sat. at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Neosho Rapids. Mrs. Gray will lie in state after 3:00 p.m., Friday at Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel, 245 NW Independence Ave. where the family will receive friends from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. In Lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer's Association, P.O.B. #1427, Topeka, KS 66601. To leave a special message for the family online, visit www.penwellgabel.com.