Donald Spray

Donald Lincoln Spray, age 83, of Aurora, died Tuesday, May 18, 2010, at Hamilton Manor surrounded by his family.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Friday, May 21st at the First Christian Church in Aurora. Rev. Sam Fox will officiate. Interment will be in the Plainfield Cemetery west of Bradshaw at 4:00 P.M. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 P.M. Thursday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary. Masonic Rites will be at 7:00 P.M. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.

OBITUARY: DONALD SPRAY

Don was born September 2, 1926 at Bradshaw, Nebraska to Elmer L. and Erma M. (Lincoln) Spray. He graduated from Bradshaw High School in 1944 and enlisted in the U.S. Army. During his service he trained combat dogs at Ft. Robinson, NE. He was in San Luis Obispo, California waiting deployment to the Pacific Front with his dogs when the War ended. A great joy for Don in his last years was being part of the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. to view the WW II Memorial.

Don attended Boyle’s Business College in Omaha after his discharge from the Army. He married Mary Alice Burns of Hastings on July 18, 1948. Don worked 37 years for the Burlington Railroad as a Depot Agent/Telegrapher. His work took his family to many towns in Nebraska, Billings, Montana and Torrington, Wyoming. Don retired in 1984 and he and Mary Alice spent many happy years traveling and spending winters in Arizona.

Don enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf, all sports, travelling and meeting new people. He was a ham radio operator and worked many storm watches. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Order of the Eastern Star Chapter, American Legion and Central Nebraska Amateur Radio Club. Don loved his family, God, his country, dogs and the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

He was preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law, Lee Miller and brother-in-law, Norval Weers.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of nearly 62 years, Mary Alice of Aurora; three daughters, Mary Lou Miller of Dunning, Betsy (Wayne) Noller of Lexington and Phyllis Hays of Topeka, Kansas; son, Ken (Ramona) Spray of Clay Center; 9 grandchildren, Daniel (Karen) Spray of Norfolk, Michael Spray of Clay Center, John (Elizabeth) Spray of Norfolk, D J Hays of Topeka, Kansas, Thomas Hays of Topeka, Kansas, Mary Leigh (Ross) Jensen of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Kendra Noller of North Platte, Kasey Ellis of Lexington and Kellie Noller of Illinois; 12 great-grandchildren, Clayton, Benjamin & Timothy Spray, Kyle, Korah & Kage Ellis, Joshua Spray, Hannah & Christian Jensen, Aiden Hays and Ian & Ivy Noller. He is also survived by his sister, Betty Weers of York and sister-in-law, Thalia Utecht of Hastings, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.