Helen Gray

Helen B. Payne Gray, 91, of Washington, died Saturday, Sept. 11, 2004, at Parkview home in Wayland, following a lengthy illness.

      The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 16 at the Jones-Eden Funeral Home in Washington, with the Rev. Julia Poulsen officiating. Burial will be in Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington. Visitation will begin after noon today at the funeral home with family present from 6 to 8 p.m. A memorial has been established to the United Methodist Church in Washington or to Hospice of Washington County.

Survivors include two daughters, Carla Benell and her husband Ed Kennedy of Des Moines, and Joanne Benell Wagener of Tucson, Ariz.; a daughter-in-law, Frances Benell of Moravia; a stepdaughter, Elda Gray Zimmerman of Davenport; a stepson, Gene Gray of Tipton; and a stepgrandson, whom she helped raise; and many grandchildren, stepgrandchildren, great- and step great-grandchilden , great-great- and step great-great-grandchildren.

      In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Paul Benell Jr.; a stepson, Doyle Gray; two brothers, Oakley and Kermit Payne; and two sisters, Hazel Payne Godwin and Mary Alice Payne Moriarty.