Roberta Jean Kay Gray (1950-2025)

Roberta Jean Gray (Bobbie) peacefully departed this life surrounded by family and friends on September 16, returning to the arms of her Heavenly Father and her husband, Nolan, and other loved ones.

She was born in Greeley, Colorado to Grace Elizabeth Belwood Kay and Ross Duncanson Kay. She was raised on a farm with four other siblings, where she learned the value of hard work.

She loved animals and was an active member of 4H Club. She learned how to raise animals, including chickens, hogs and cattle. She also learned the business aspect of selling the products from her 4H projects, held leadership positions and judged crops.

After high school, she attended Colorado State University where she met her first husband, Edwin J. Hefley Jr. They had two beautiful children, Stephanie and Steven. They moved briefly to Texas and Kansas and then remained in Nebraska for eight years.

After divorcing, Bobbie and her two children moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico. She attended New Mexico State University, where she met her soul mate, Nolan Gray, who was teaching one of her classes there. They fell in love and married on August 10, 1990. She received her Masters Degree from NMSU.

She was deeply spiritual and held callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Girls Camp Director, and was a missionary with Nolan to the University Ward, where they served the students and helped in the ward for over a year.

Bobbie was a wonderful teacher all her life, including teaching preschool, and then in elementary schools in Las Cruces. She loved her job and was known as the teacher who hatched chickens in the classroom. The children loved this!

Bobbie will be remembered by many as a kind, courageous, hardworking, smart and spiritual woman.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Grace and Ross Kay, her husband, Nolan Gray, and her son, Steven Hefley.

She is survived by two brothers and two sisters, Thomas Kay (Gayle), Lou Ellen Kay (Vincent Gutschick), Mary McDonald (Ronald, deceased), Kenneth Kay (Ellen); her children, Christy Olsen (Ryan), Michael Gray, Stephanie Miller (Justin); her grandchildren, Cheyenne Hershey (Justin), Logan Olsen (Abree), Luke Olsen, Ronan Gray, Rylan Gray, Monet Gray and Genevieve Gray; one great grandchild, Matthew Hershey.

Services will be held Saturday, October 18, 2025 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2915 E. Idaho Ave., Las Cruces, NM

9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Visitation

9:45 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. Family Prayer

10:00 a.m. Funeral Services

Please contact her family for a virtual link to the service.

Cremation arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Baca's Funeral Home of Las Cruces and Sunset Crematory, 300 E. Boutz Road, 527-2222. Your exclusive provider for "Veterans and Family Memorial Care." For online condolences logon to www.bacasfuneralchapelslascruces.com