Ramona "Mona" Okray

Ramona M. Okray, former long-time resident of Stevens Point, died at her home in Idaho on Friday, December 19, 2008. She was born the youngest of 12 children to the late Walter and Victoria Pelarske Campbell in the Town of Carson. Ramona graduated from State Teachers College at Stevens Point and soon after began her teaching career in a rural one-room school. On November 30, 1939, she married Chester A. Okray, her high school sweetheart, at St. STephen's Church. They lived in Stevens POint and had three daughters. Mona later taught at Grant Kindergarter, St. Peter's, and St. Joseph's Catholic schools. In 1962 she was invited to direct Kiddie Kollege, Stevens Point's first pre-school. Those were her most joyous teaching years, and she was delighted to attend the many weddings to which her former Kiddie Kollege students invited her. In addition to teaching and raising a family, she was active in St. Peter's Rosary Society, Catholic Daughters of America, and was a leading force in the "Let's Put Christ Back Into Christmas: movement in the 1950's. She had many friends and was known for her loe and ocncern for others and for the many goodies that came out of her kitchen. Mona is survived by two daughters, Sandra (Toby) Maritn and Mary Beth (Robert, deceased) Conrad; four granddaughters, Heidi (Scott) Sanger, Linda Martin, Samantha and Jillian Conrad; five great-grandsons, Tom, Eric, Tristan, Travis, and Trevor; and one great great granddaughter, Julia Rose. Her husband, a daughter, Linda, and all her siblings preceded her in death. A memorial Mass and inurnment will take place in Stevens Point this summer on a date yet to be announced.