Sara Ann Wray, 51, of Silvis, Illinois, formerly of Grinnell, Iowa, died at her sister's home on Saturday, April 11, 2020, under the care of Heartland Hospice.

Sara was born on January 29, 1969, in Des Moines, Iowa, the daughter of Keith and Charlotte Bailey. Her family lived in Des Moines until they moved to Grinnell in 1977. Sara graduated from Grinnell High School in 1987.

On March 18, 1989, Sara married Christopher Wray of Grinnell. They were the parents of two children, Molly Ann, and Matthew Christopher. Sara was a compassionate, loving mother whose children (and later, grandchildren) were the pride and joy of her life. She loved all of her family dearly and always looked forward to being together at family gatherings.

Sara's passion for working in the healthcare field started at a young age. At age 14, she began working as a dietary aide for St. Francis Manor Nursing Home in Grinnell. As soon as she was able, she took the required courses and became a certified nurse aide there. In 1995 she was hired at Grinnell Regional Medical Center and earned an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree from Marshalltown Community College in August of 1996.

In early 2000, Sara became a hospice nurse for Grinnell Regional Hospice. It was there that she discovered her life's mission. She loved caring for her patients and bonding with their families. She received many compliments on the care she provided and touched many lives in her 15 years with hospice.

Sara spent several years as a primary member of the Grinnell High School Athletic Booster Club. She was in charge of ordering all of the food and spent countless hours scheduling volunteers to work in the concession stands for all sporting events as well as other school activities. She was an avid supporter of Grinnell High School's sports teams. You could always find her in the bleachers watching her kids or in the concession stand when her kids weren't playing.

Sara was most recently employed as a paraeducator for the PHOENIX program at the Black Hawk Area Special Education District in the Illinois Quad Cities. She continued to make a positive impact on lives, even having one student who stated he never would have graduated if it were not for her.

Sara is survived by her mother Charlotte Bailey of Davenport, Iowa; daughter Molly (Keagan) Richmond of Grinnell, Iowa; son Matthew Wray of Grinnell, Iowa; sister Kristin (Keith) Morrison of Davenport, Iowa; brother Nicholas Bailey of Missoula, Montana; granddaughter Emerson of Grinnell, Iowa; grandson Ian of Grinnell, Iowa; nieces and nephews; and many other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Keith Bailey, in 2019.

Source: Smith Funeral Home, Grinnell, Iowa [edited]