Viva Marie (Neff) McCray

Viva Marie Neff McCray, 87, of Benson Arizona, passed into Eternal Life on Wednesday March 5, 2025. She was born in Taylor, Arizona to Joseph Alma and Vivan Allen Neff on November 30, 1937. She was the oldest of seven siblings and grew up on her family farm in Taylor.

Marie graduated from Snowflake high school in 1955. She met Philip McCray and later they were sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple on May 10,1957. Together they were blessed with six children. She loved her family and made sure each family member knew they were loved.

Marie had an eventful life. She worked as a postal clerk for the U.S. Postal Service for 32 years. Over those years, she worked in the Taylor, Young Town, and Bisbee Post Offices. Marie always greeted her customers with a warm smile, and she knew many of them by name. She was loved and very appreciated for her kindness and caring.

Marie was a loving wife and homemaker. Her hobbies included gardening, quilting/sewing, and she was a well-known candy maker. She was a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to everyone who knew her.

She was life-long faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She loved the Gospel of Jesus Christ and taught her family the importance of the Savior. She served in many callings for the church and was always willing to serve others. She made the temple an important part of her life and enjoyed working in The Gila Valley Temple as an ordinance worker.

Marie is survived by her five children Jacqueline Reedholm, Murray (Loretta) McCray, Eva (Martin) Tapia, Tad (Natalie) McCray, and Nathan (Lizbeth) McCray, sixteen grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her daughter Heidi Sharon McCray, her parents, and four siblings. She will be greatly missed by all those who knew her.

Her funeral services will be held at the St. David Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 381 N. Pomerene Rd in Benson, Arizona 85602, on Friday March 14th, 2025. Visitation at 10:30 AM with funeral services to follow at 11:00 AM.

A Graveside service and internment will be held on Saturday, March 15th at 1:00 PM located at the Reed Hatch Memorial Cemetery, 401 Center Street, Taylor, Arizona, 85939.    

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