From Cathy Basse

We first met Randy and Shona in Kansas City, with our children attending elementary school.  We quickly recognized that we had a lot in common. We joined together with rides and cameras in hand when school functions called and this was a blessing, because we finally had another couple that we could rely upon for co-opting rides, sleep over’s and fact finding missions to the school office, a particular skill of Shona Wray. Coming from California, we didn’t have a rapport with most of the other parents. Meeting Randy and Shona, we soon realized that we had a lot more in common with them, than school aged kids. Shona loved to prepare wonderful dinners, and so did we.

Randy traveled so much that, when he was home, joining our families together on the weekends became a ritual. This soon grew into extravagant large meals, introducing us to colleagues from the university and around the world. We met many of their family and friends who traveled to Kansas City and shared many wonderful times.

“Catching some Wrays” was an affectionate term used around our house as in: Regina's with Alina, "catching some Wrays". Or, I saw a "flash of the Wrays" this morning on the drive to school. Or, hey that looks like "a light Wray"…seeing Shane walking home from school.

Shona was generous with her time, her friendships, her energy and knowledge from cooking to camping, fishing to hiking, booking travel, to discussions about the icky medieval flees of the black death, and of course Italy. Randy was like a captain of a sailing ship bringing back tales meeting scholars and slaying dragons.

Shona and I shared a love of Rumi's poetry. This one hung in our kitchen for most of a school year. It says a lot about the life of a woman known as Shona Kelly Wray.

"My heart, aflame in love, set afire every heart that came in touch with it"
Always and in all ways dear friends,

Cathy, David and Regina Basse