PARIS, Ill. - Bessie Julia Gray Maynard of Paris, passed away at Paris Health Care Center Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. Bessie was born March 25, 1926, in Arcola, to Samuel Freeman Tilden Gray and Laura Luella Connor, who both preceded her in death along with brothers, Benjamin Freeman Gray, Thomas Emmanuel Gray, James Otto Gray, and Charles Edward Gray; sisters, Sarah Deborah Gray Trudell, Flora Estelle Gray Barnhart, Grace Agnes Gray Burch, Mary Luella Gray Burton, and Jessie Lois Gray Burch, and step-siblings, Beswick Gray, Lewis Gray, and Elizabeth Gray Bowen.

She married Donald Archie Maynard on Sept. 9, 1944, in Olathe, Kans. He preceded her in death in February 2007. A son also preceded her in death, Larry Allan Maynard on August 10, 2012.

Bessie was a member, at the time of her death, of the Horace Baptist Church. Previous membership included Vermilion Methodist and Grandview Methodist churches. Bessie was previously employed in the laundry department at Paris Health Care Center in Paris.

She is survived by sons, Paul Jay (Becky Warner) Maynard of Paris, and Donald Wayne (Kay Tanquary) Maynard of Glen Carbon; a brother-in-law, Ken Maynard of Phoenix; granddaughters, Leah (John) York of Terre Haute, Ind., Sarah (Billy Eggers) Warner of Robinson, Dr. Cassandra L. Maynard of Maplewood, Mo., and Angela M. Maynard of Bloomington, Ill.; a grandson, Andrew D. Maynard of Glen Carbon; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation for Bessie will be from 1 to 2 p.m. CST Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016, in Stewart and Carroll Funeral Home. Graveside services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016, in Vermilion Cemetery. The family has requested that in honor of her memory, respective individuals display an act of kindness to each other in day to day relationships. For further information and online condolences, please see:

www.stewartandcarrollfuneralhome.com