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Mrs. Alpha Rhea Gray, of Harrisonville, Missouri, was born Tuesday, January 12, 1932 in Salt Prairie, Oklahoma, the daughter of Walter and Edith (Ford) Cunningham. She departed this life Wednesday, December 27, 2006, at Crown Care Center, Harrisonville at the age of 74 years, 11 months and 15 days.
On December 3, 1950, Alpha was united in marriage to William Franklin Gray in Durant, Oklahoma.
Alpha was a homemaker. In the 1980's, she became a nurse's aid and then the activity director for Camden Health Center, Harrisonville. Alpha was a member of the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Harrisonville. She was a wonderful cook and took great pride in decorating her home and loved to grow flowers and plants. Alpha had lived in Belle Chase, Louisiana before moving to Harrisonville in 1984.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by five sisters, Theo and Bonnie Jo Cunningham, Ileta Hudgens, Opal Trammell and Jackie Nunalley.
She is survived by her husband, William F. Gray of the home; a son, William D. Gray and wife Christine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; two daughters, Sandra Fleming and husband Glenn and Robin G. Zander all of Belle Chasse, Louisiana; six grandchildren, Allyson, Amy, Aubrey, Ariel, Matthew and Kristina; a great-granddaughter, Maggie; other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services were held Saturday, December 30, 2006 at the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church near Harrisonville with burial in the Cairo Cemetery, Cairo, Oklahoma.