August 18, 1947- July 30, 2014
Edith Mae Scharff Gray, 66, of Polo, formerly of Orrick, Mo., passed away Wednesday evening, July 30, 2014 at the home of her daughter in Excelsior Springs, Mo.
Edith Mae was born on August 18, 1947 in the Albany community north of Orrick, Mo., to Gala William Scharff and Sarah Maxine Lee Scharff. Edith was raised in the Orrick area and attended schools there. She was a 1965 graduate of Orrick High School. She lived most of her life in Ray County and moved to Polo, Mo., to the Hideaway Lakes area five years ago.
Edith had worked at various places in her life, including Russ Pendleton Farms, Snappy Convenience Store in Orrick, and American Wilcon Plastics in Orrick. She had been a bartender for many years at the Hideaway Tavern in Richmond and her last job was with Gilmour Mfg. in Excelsior Springs, of which she retired from.
She was the founding member of the organization, Caring Hearts. She loved doing charity work and helping those in need. She eagerly hosted the annual Butler & Lee Family Reunion every September and was well known for her outstanding fried chicken. She dearly loved her family, especially her girls, her grandchildren and her great grandchildren. Never one to meet a stranger, she always had a smile and kind word for most that she came in contact with.
Edith was preceded in death by her father, Gala William Scharff, and her mother, Sarah Maxine O’Dell in November of 1983.
Survivors include her daughters, Terri Laine Gray Moore of Sunrise Beach, Mo., and Daina Kristine Gray Hendricks and her signifiant other, Barbara Branch of Excelsior Springs, Mo.; her grandchildren, Billy Gray, Bobby Wilkinson, Jr., Alissa Cline, Joseph Tyler Hendricks, and Kiley K. Hendricks; her great grandchildren, Bryson Dickey and Amelia Hendricks; two sisters, Susan Scharff Gardner of Kansas City, Mo., and Nancy Scharff VanOster of Richmond, Mo.; a brother, George Douglas O’Dell of Orrick, Mo.; her step children, JoAnn Gray and Leonard Joe Gray, Jr.
A Celebration of Life for Edith will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, August 9, 2014 at the main shelter house at Hideaway Lakes near Polo, with Shirlee Coen leading the ceremonies. Guest are urged to dress casual and to bring a covered dish, a lawn chair and a good story to share.
Memorials are suggested to The Edith Gray Memorial fund and payable to either of her daughters or may be mailed to the funeral home at P.O. Box 169, Orrick, MO 64077.