Vicky Collet Ray

Memorial service, celebrating the life of Vicky Ray will be 1:00p.m., Thursday, January 11, 2024 at Life Demonstration Church, 1200 Olive Avenue, Broken Arrow, OK 74012.    Vicky passed away at her home on Friday, January 5, 2024.  She was 73.

Vicky Collet (Graham) Ray was born on June 15, 1950 in Fort Scott, Kansas to Harold and Eva (Bowen) Graham.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Bonnie Bailey. 

Vicky is survived by her husband David; daughter Jennifer Kitt and husband Kelly of Edmond; daughter Erin Polk of Tulsa; son Christopher Ray of Tahlequah; sister Jenet Hill and husband Martin of Sun City West, Arizona; sister-in-law Judi Ray of DeSoto, Texas; brother-in-law Steve Ray and wife Judy of Broken Arrow; grandchildren Grayson Kitt, Sullivan Kitt, Connor Polk, Colin Polk, and Vivian Ray; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Vicky graduated from Fort Scott high school in 1968.  She then attended Fort Scott Community College, graduating in 1970 with an Associate Degree in Psychology.  She and David married in 1973 and lived in Fort Scott until they moved to Bartlesville in 1976.
Vicky spent most of her adult life as a full-time mom.  She spent summers taking her kids to the pool, attended every gymnastics meet, softball game, and school event, and even spent some time coaching softball.  Her priority was always her family.  As her children got older, she chose to work part-time at various jobs, including teaching gymnastics and working with numerous charitable organizations.  She worked as a special education teaching assistant at East Central High School in Tulsa before retiring in 2012 to care for her grand kids. Vicky loved being in the kitchen where she enjoyed cooking and baking and was famous for her cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies, which she made for the holidays every year for 49 years.  Her greatest joy was being “Grammy” and spending time with her grand kids, crafting, and exploring the outdoors with her camper.  You could see her enthusiasm when planning trips and brainstorming new places to explore. She enjoyed the simplicity of nature and those cherished moments brought her genuine joy and fulfillment.  She loved attending her grand kids’ sporting events, taking them shopping to pick out anything they wanted, and spending as much time with them as possible.  

Her church family was also a great source of joy in her life.  She enjoyed doing the coffee bar and valued the relationships she made with her friends in the women’s group.

Although anyone outside of her immediate family may not have experienced it, she had a knack for giving no nonsense feedback to her family.  One of her favorite responses to her family when she was skeptical was, “Yeah, right”.  This is just one of the many things we will dearly miss about her. 

Those who wish to honor Vicky's memory may consider contributing to Life Demonstration Church, 1200 Olive Avenue, Broken Arrow, OK 74012.