Marcella “Marcy” Lyn (Fevurly) Bray

Marcella Lyn (Fevurly) Bray, 61, born July 13, 1960, chose to end her journey on this earth earlier this month. Marcy, as she was known to everyone, was born in Leavenworth, KS, the daughter of the late Alfred Kenneth Powell and the late Meredith Ann Reynolds. She was later adopted by the late James Robert Fevurly, joining her sisters in becoming members of this now large, combined, loving family. Marcy is survived by her sons, Edward Malachi Bray, Aurora, CO, and Peter Reynolds Bray, Chicago, IL; her brothers Keith Fevurly (Peggy), Highlands Ranch, CO; Chris Fevurly (Jane), Lawrence, KS; and her sisters Deb Winterscheidt (Dan), Johnstown, PA; Carol Cleek, Lawrence, KS; Anna Oliver (Craig), Colorado Springs, CO; and Karen Mitchell (Mark), Lenexa, KS. Marcy was a loving aunt to her fourteen nieces and nephews, two great nieces and her great nephew, all of whom will miss her dearly.

Marcy was raised in Leavenworth, KS and graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S. in Education in 1983. After a student blew up a bathroom with fireworks during her student teaching practicum, Marcy decided at that moment maybe teaching wasn’t for her after all. She laughed (and shuddered) about that experience for many years after. Marcy held a variety of jobs throughout her life. One of her proudest accomplishments was being a big part of her sister Karen’s restaurant, Bleu Tomato. It was Marcy who encouraged hosting an art gallery of rotating artists in the restaurant. Marcy’s recent years were spent as a member of the retail staff at The Merc Co+op in Lawrence, KS, where she loved working with the public and participating in The Merc’s community garden, “Growing Food Growing Health”. Marcy was an avid volunteer for organizations such as Catholic Charities and was also a long-time member of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.

During her marriage and as an Army wife, Marcy and family lived in many locations across the country. While stationed in Germany, Marcy “mastered” the Autobahn (or so she claimed – those of us who experienced her driving are doubtful). Most importantly, Marcy was able to travel throughout Europe during this period. When her younger sisters came for an extended stay, they ventured out on many day trips exploring throughout Germany, always finding unique cafés, getting lost in new cities, enjoying museums, discovering small shops filled with art and all kinds of unique objects and, maybe most of all, people watching.

As a creative being, art was an integral part of Marcy’s soul. She sought many outlets and expressed her creativity in a variety of means. Marcy needed to be surrounded with art in many forms. She expressed herself wildly through her exploration with use of color, pattern, and textiles in her home, by her talents in the kitchen, and in her love of music. Marcy was always surrounded by beautiful things from nature. Anyone who stepped through her front door was immediately taken in by her inherent sense of style and decor. We all admired her aesthetic and wished we could emulate her effortless style. Marcy’s mind was always curious, so it’s no surprise that she was also a voracious reader. In her last year, Marcy took up photography as her newest artistic lens, studying the works of famous photographers, such as her favorite, Dorothea Lange, while developing her own perspective and skill. Her adage was to always have her camera with her, to look at the mundane details of the world through an artist’s eye, and to be ready to take a snap whenever the opportunity arose.

Marcy truly loved and in return was beloved by her sons. She was a receptive, involved, open-hearted parent, always ready to lend a sympathetic ear, offer her unconditional love and support, urge leaps toward ever higher stars, and share a radiantly happy laugh. She kept her sons in her closest orbit, raising and nurturing them with warmth and care, encouraging their pursuits and interests with genuine “where-to-next?” curiosity, cheering their adventures and soothing their losses, and sharing dear friendship with them as adults over a lively group chat or a home-cooked meal.

Marcy was a cherished and devoted mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend who was loved deeply. She filled our world with warmth, love, light, and happiness. A common response from Marcy when she would be visiting with family and people she would encounter in her day to day life was, “It makes me so happy to see you being happy.” She was genuine in her concern for others. Marcy was an easy to please person with a great love for her boys, music, art, and a good glass of wine.

And yet, despite the love she showered upon and received from others, Marcy battled a life of mental illness that in the end would claim her captive. And so, the family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be directed to The Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, 200 Main Street, Lawrence, KS 66044. Online donations may be made at http://bertnash.org/donate/ or may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

There will be a memorial service honoring Marcy’s life at a later date.