Alton Bray

Alton Bray, at the age of 100 years, passed on to Heaven on Friday, July 3, 2020, at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Oct. 25, 1919, in Fornfelt to Luther Warner and Ora Lee Templeton Bray.

Alton attended Fornfelt Public Schools, where he graduated from high school in 1937. He graduated from Southeast Missouri Teachers College (now Southeast Missouri State University) in 1941 with a Bachelor of Science in education, with a focus on mathematics and physics.

He and his three bothers played semi-pro baseball with the Big Bucks and the Capahas. He refereed basketball and umpired baseball for many years.

Alton taught mathematics and coached girls and boys basketball from 1941 to 1942 at Benton (Missouri) High School.

From 1942 to 1943 he was a civilian radar instructor with the U.S. Air Force in Boca Raton, Florida.

In 1943, Alton returned to Cape Girardeau, teaching mathematics and physics as a part of the V-12 program at the college. Alton married Martha Lou Dorris in 1944. They celebrated 66 years of marriage before Martha's passing at the age of 87 years in 2011.

He served as a purchasing agent at Southeast from 1946 until 1951, when he was named college registrar, holding that position until his retirement in 1984.

In 1962, while at Southeast, Alton was instrumental in the purchase of an IBM mainframe computer system that was installed in the basement of Academic Hall. This achievement introduced the university to modern computing, and it established a more efficient, accurate and rapid acquisition of records, which was the main responsibility of Alton's division.

Alton served on several advisory committees at Southeast. He served on the board at the Baptist Student Center for over 40 years. He also served four years as secretary and four years as president of the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Alton demonstrated his Christian faith in every aspect of his life. He was a Sunday school teacher and close adviser to First Baptist Church of Cape Girardeau.

He served as master of St. Marks Lodge, Scottish Rite.

Alton and Martha are survived by their three children, Ellen Louise Busch of Florissant, Missouri, Mary Suzanne (John) Newberry of Katy, Texas, and Jeffrey Owen (Debra) Bray of Chesterfield, Missouri; six grandchildren, Mark Christopher Busch, Barbara Ann (Jeremy) Newberry-Smith, Brian Douglas (Jessica) Newberry, Kyle Anthony (Ashley) Bray, Haley Nicole Bray and Jordan Owen Bray; four great-grandchildren, Devin Christopher Busch, Madelyn Nicole Busch, Ryland Mcrae Rivas and Nathaniel Anthony Bray; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Because of safety concerns and the current pandemic, a private service will be held with burial to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the Baptist Student Center, P.O. Box 1923, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702, or to the Alton Bray Scholarship at Southeast Missouri University Foundation, 1 University Plaza, MS 7300, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701.

Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.