Marie Isabel Gray, 90, of Vermillion, SD passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 1st surrounded by family and friends.

The daughter of Clifford Bruce and Amandy Isabel (Henderson) Correll. Marie was born December 13, 1926, the fourth of six children, in Holland, MO, where at a young age she developed her lifelong love for music. She graduated from Holland High School and received a BS in Education at Southeast Missouri State. She taught music in Missouri before moving to Detroit, where she continued to teach and sang with the Rackham Choir. She received a Master's in Education from the University of Missouri at Columbia in 1957.

Marie moved to Vermillion in 1960 and taught music in both the Vermillion and Meckling public schools. In 1970, she returned to Missouri to receive certification in school administration and special education. She served as K-8 principal in Nelson, MO and later in Metz, MO.

She returned to Vermillion in 1984 and worked as music assistant at the Vermillion Middle School. She volunteered playing piano throughout the community – at the Welcome Table, nursing home, and First Baptist Church – and as an accompanist for the Southeastern South Dakota Gospel Singing Convention, performing at places of worship across southeastern South Dakota.

Marie was an immensely talented musician who delighted in playing classical, popular, and gospel songs. She was proficient at playing numerous instruments, but the piano held a special place in her heart. She was a skilled sight-reader and could perform thousands of songs from memory. She could quickly transpose a piece to any key. She was a lifelong educator who brought music into the lives of hundreds of students. Her high regard for education left her a lifelong learner as well. An avid reader, there was never a question left unanswered or topic left untouched.

Marie is survived by her two children: Sharon and Bruce Gray and his wife Cindy Gehm; grandchildren: Geoffrey and Guthrie Gray-Lobe, Georgia (Craig) Powell, Jessica, Doug, Sydney, and Andrew Kronaizl, Jayme (James) McGaugh, Sam Liebel, Hannah (Eric) Mosterd, and Becca, Peter and Jacob Gehm; great-grandchildren: Tyler, Isabelle, Kayle, Isaac, Maxwell, Charlie, Alayna, Sebastian, Alda, Asher, Rhys, and Ben; sister-in-law Frieda Correll; close family Sarah Ames, Bruce Preheim, Denis Kronaizl, and Tom Lobe; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, siblings, and her son, Martin Sanford Gray.

A celebration of Marie's life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, November 25th, 2017 at the First Baptist Church in Vermillion with a light reception to follow in the fellowship hall.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, please send donations in Marie's memory to the Marie Gray Music Education Memorial Fund (make check payable to the Vermillion Public School Foundation and put "Marie Gray/Elementary Music" in the memo line and mail to Vermillion Public School Foundation, P.O. Box 569, Vermillion, SD 57069) or the First Baptist Church (101 E. Main, Vermillion, SD, 57069.)

Marie loved her family and friends dearly. The world is a more joyful place having had her in it. Her spirit lives on in every song we sing and kind word we share.

Upon her wishes, she donated her body to the Medical School at University of South Dakota. A year later was given back to her children, cremated & buried in same plot as her son, Martin Sanford Gray.

[Courtesy: Kober Funeral Home]