Maxine & Arlo John Bray were married June 28, 1947 in Lincoln, NE and created a family of 6, four children: Judy, Steve, Brad & Kelley. Judy (Roy) Cole of Curtis, NE; Steve (Susan) Bray of Lincoln, NE; Brad Bray of Prairie Home, NE; and Kelley (Dennis) Dworak of Layton, UT. Their Grandchildren: Lark (Michael) Trammell, Sarah Bray (Anthony Allen), Seth (Maureen) Bray, Austin Gray, Maxwell (Kelsey) Dworak, Benjamin Dworak and Lilia Dworak. And, they have 3 Great-Granddaughters: Elizabeth & Lauren Bray (Seth’s daughters) and Kamila Dworak (Max’s daughter).
Maxine thoroughly enjoyed her grandchildren and great-granddaughters. They brought an entirely new kind of joy to her life and took every opportunity to spend time with them. Even when she was unable to visit them, she did a great job of keeping tabs of their activities and stories.
Maxine was very active in the Prairie Home Methodist Church and the Ladies’ Aid. She loved the church & congregation and continued to attend until she was nearly 95 years old. She would work the bake sale table at the annual pancake feed & soup supper. And serve at the summer ice cream social. The Ladies’ Aid also made blankets and rugs for which they would spend afternoons tearing fabric & denim and making quilting squares where they would share lunches and treats. All in the name of raising funds for the Church.
She was a Band Booster Member or Officer through the band careers of all four of her kids. She would frequently serve as a Parent sponsor for away events such as marching band appearances at the Cornhusker red & white game and at Papillion for concert band competitions.
Among her hobbies, Maxine made & decorated cakes. All kinds of cakes for weddings, birthdays and special events. One of the best things about her cakes was the buttercream frosting that she would make from scratch. People would ask specifically for Maxine’s frosting.
Maxine & Arlo lived outside of Lincoln and then in Prairie Home throughout their married life. They farmed several different farm sites growing wheat, soybeans, milo and alfalfa. Maxine would cook for the hay hands, serving hot meals in their dining room such as pot roast or fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh corn, Jell-O salad and, of course, several fresh pies. People loved Maxine’s cooking! During other times of the growing season, she & her sister-in-law, Beanie Bray, would take lunches out to the men in the field. The kids loved to join them and get to eat a sandwich out on the tailgate of the pickup.
She & Arlo created a great family full of love & fun. She will be dearly missed.
Funeral service will be held at Roper and Sons Midtown Chapel, 4300 “O” St. Lincoln, NE, on March 30th, 2022 at 11:00am, with reception to follow. Visitation will be one hour prior to service. Friends & Family are welcome.
Maxine will be laid to rest with Arlo at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, 6800 S 14th St, Lincoln, NE, at 2:00pm.
Memorials to the family or Waverly Fire and Rescue, 10530 N. 141st, Waverly, NE 68462.