Laura Faye Napier Wray, 83, of Savannah, Georgia and wife of Robert 'Bob' Floyd Wray, died Monday morning, September 7, 2020, at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina.
Born May 11, 1937 in Napfor, Perry County, Kentucky, she was the youngest child of Minta Spencer Napier and Floyd Napier, Sr. At the age of six months her mother died. She was raised by her eldest sister Lucinda. She grew up in Lockland, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated from Lockland High School. After she married her husband, Robert F. Wray, they attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. They later lived Big Spring, Texas for six years and in Dutchess County, New York for 30 years. She and Bob moved to Savannah in 1995.. Robert served as an officer in the United States Air Force.
While in New York, she served on the executive committee of the Duchess County Arts Council for 12 years, president of the board of Cunneen-Hacket Cultural Center for three years. She was founder of a Victorian Christmas, held at the Vassar Institute as a fundraiser for the nonprofit Institute. She also served as president of the Poughkeepsie Civic Ballet Company for three years. She took classes at the Culinary Institute of America and the New York School of Interior Design. She loved taking classes in flower arranging and cooking.
She and Robert always enjoyed entertaining, especially Kentucky Derby parties, both in New York and Savannah.
After moving to Savannah she served on the board of the Savannah Symphony Women's Guild and is a member of the Friends of Music. In 1998 she was the president of Savannah Newcomers. She also served for three years on the board of First City Club. She served as a volunteer for many other organizations as well. She was a master docent for the Telfair Art Museum for the past 21 years.
She is a founding charter member and ordained ruling elder of the Christ Presbyterian Church in Pooler Georgia. She was presented with an honorary life membership by Presbyterian Women, USA.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Lucinda and Ruby, and her brothers, Rex, Will, Isaac, Robert, Quentin, Floyd Junior, and Samuel.
She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Robert F. Wray; her daughters, Dr. Terry W. May and her husband, Charles May, Robin W. Sexton and her husband, Michael Sexton; her grandchildren, Christopher and Whitney May, Katherine and Jess Dance, Aimee and Jon Powell, Charles Robert (Chaz) Sexton and Elizabeth Wray Sexton; her great-grandchildren, Gavin May, Riley Ann May, Jackson Dance, Hadley May Dance, Jordyn Powell, Benjamin Dance, and Mackena Powell; her brother, Burns Napier and his wife, Diane, and many nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 o'clock Thursday evening, September 10, 2020, at Gamble Funeral Service ' 410 Stephenson Avenue.
The funeral service will be held at 10 Friday morning, September 11, 2020, at Christ Presbyterian Church ' 1765 Quacco Road, Pooler, conducted by the Reverend Stephen J. Tisinger. Entombment will be private.
Donations in memory of Faye may be made to Christ Presbyterian Church ' 1765 Quacco Road, Pooler, Georgia 31322 or to the Telfair Museum of Art ' Post Office Box 10081, Savannah Georgia 31412.