Service today for Bessie Sue Ray

Funeral services for Bessie Sue (Horton) Ray, an Atoka resident, will be held Wednesday (today) at 2:00 p.m. at Brown’s Funeral Chapel in Coalgate with Pastor Joey Lansdale officiating. Burial will be in Moore Cemetery with Brown’s Funeral Service of Coalgate in charge of arrangements. Lunch will be served at Brown’s Funeral Service at 11:30.

Mrs. Ray was born April 29, 1935 to Roach and Bessie Jewell (Chastain) Horton at Atoka, OK and passed away August 8, 2020 at her home in Atoka, OK surrounded by her loved ones. She was 85 years, 3 months and 10 days of age. Bessie attended school at Shady Grove, Limestone and Olney and married Charles Edward Ray on October 2, 1953 at Durant OK. They celebrated 61 years of marriage before his passing on August 25, 2015. Bessie was a homemaker and housewife and a member of Olney Baptist Church. She enjoyed quilting, gardening, canning and tending cattle. She loved being around her grandchildren, family and doing what she could to help friends and neighbors. Bessie made the best coconut cream pies and won derful biscuits. People enjoyed going to her house for her cooking.

Survivors include her children, Robert Ray of Atoka, Betty Sue Ray, Jannette Orr and husband Ronald, all of Coalgate, Faye Skalicky and husband Ron of Owatonna, NM and Glenn Ray and wife Shelly of McAlester; grandchildren, Jonathan, April, Melissa, Jenny, Karen, Erica, Brandon, Garrett, Megan and Summer; sisters, Betty Ray of Roff, and Emma Reed of Mustang; brother, Charles Horton and wife Liz of Tupelo; 20 great-grandchildren, along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; granddaughter, Jessica Skalicky; brother, Bill Horton; sister, Viola New; brothers-in-law, Calvin Reed and Eugene Ray and sister-in-law, Lottie Horton.

Casketbearers will be Garrett Miller, Tyler Sharp, Brandon Skalicky, Milo Nelson, Justin Gamble and Kyle Van-Esch. Honorary bearers will be Rayden Orr, Jonathan Orr and Troy Blevins.

Condolences may be sent to the family by email to: brownsfscoalgate@sbcglobal.net. Please reference the name of the deceased in your correspondence.