MOUNT VERNON –Evelyn Alberta (Bruce) Spray, 86, of Mount Vernon died peacefully at The Laurels on July 11, following several months of declining health. Evelyn was born March 20, 1937, at her parents' home on Bruce Road, Utica, Ohio, as the only child to Bernard and Ruth (Hawkins) Bruce.
She was a proud graduate of Homer High School, one of 14 in the Class of 1955. During her junior year, she attended Girls State at Capital University and during her senior year was the Fall Festival Queen. Evelyn worked for the State of Ohio for 5 years in the taxation office in downtown Columbus.
Evelyn met her husband at a dance in Columbus and married Rex on Nov. 20, 1960, at Owl Creek Baptist Church. She attended Owl Creek the rest of her life.
She was a homemaker who spent her days raising her children, attending all of their school activities, volunteering at the church and various hobbies. She enjoyed her friendships in the community as a member of the OSU Extension group, Pleasant Neighbors. She spent many years quilting and was part of the Knox County Quilt Guild.
Her longest running and favorite hobby was researching the family genealogy. She spent many hours researching her family, which has a long history in Licking and Knox Counties, as well as her husband’s family in West Virginia. She even researched the family of neighbors and friends until she found familial connections to many of them. For many years she loved volunteering weekly at the Licking County Genealogical Society, until her stroke in 2008.
She is survived by her three children: Rodney Spray & Steven Spray of Mount Vernon, and Anne (Troy) Arnott of Newark. She has three step-grandchildren: Olivia, Lane, & Lucie Arnott.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Rex Dale Spray, who passed December 22, 2011, her parents, brothers- and sisters-in-law Mabel Spray, John Howard Spray, Mary Doris Belt, Ruth Kohl, Frances Varner, Lucy Strubler, Mark Spray, Glenn Spray and Nelson Spray.
The family will receive friends on Sunday, July 16, from 2-5 p.m. at Brucker-Baker Funeral Home, 34 N. Main St., Utica, 43080. Funeral service will be on Monday, July 17, at Owl Creek Baptist Church at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Owl Creek Cemetery, which is across the road from the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Owl Creek Baptist Church at 4044 Owl Creek Church Road, Mount Vernon, OH 43050, or Licking County Genealogical Society at 101 W. Main St., Newark, OH 43055.
Visit www.Law-BakerFuneralHome.com to extend condolences to the family.
