Hepsey T. Berryhill-Ray of Shawnee, Kansas passed away at home on Saturday, November 12, 2005 at the age of 77. She was born October 22, 1928 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma to Harrison and Cilla (Celia) Freeman Berryhill. She graduated from Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas and served in the Civil Defense Corp as a radio operator during World War II. She married Robert Freeman on March 30, 1947 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Together they raised 13 children in Shawnee, Kansas. She worked 11 years for the Bayer Corp. as a biological lab technician until moving to Joplin, Missouri in 1991. She married Albert Ray and lived in Joplin until August 2005. Hepsey is welcomed home by her parents, as well as four sisters, Lucy, Elizabeth, Elsie, and Abby and seven brothers, Johnson, Louis, William, Benjamin, Aaron, Neffie and infant twins Robin and Robert Freeman.

She leaves behind a husband, Albert Ray of Joplin, one sister, Martha Berryhill of Okmulgee, six daughters, Freida Denise Stober of Shawnee, Kansas, Anita Cox of Oklahoma City, Odette Freeman of Okmulgee, Carla Hoehn of Lenexa, Kansas, Abby Wasley of Camp Verde, Arizona, and Shannon Cocke of Lynchburg, Virginia, five sons, Douglas Freeman of Tulsa, Lee Freeman of Overland Park, Kansas, Vernon Freeman of Leavenworth, Kansas, Randall Freeman of Independence, Missouri, Max Freeman of Olathe, Kansas, 22 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held 1:00 P.M. Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at the Newtown United Methodist Church with Pastors Alfred Berryhill and June Thomas officiating. Interment will follow in the Berryhill Family Cemetery under the direction of the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home of Okmulgee. The family will receive friends from 5-7 P.M. Tuesday evening at the funeral home. Casketbearers will be Eugene Freeman, Jason Stober, Nathan Freeman, Tonee Freeman, Micco Freeman, Brandon Freeman, and Shane Freeman. Honorary casketbearers will be Luke and Matthew Wasley.