(From Parker Mortuary)
Jim J. Bray, age 89 of Joplin, MO, passed away on Monday, March 24, 2025 at a local hospital after a lengthy illness.
Jim was born on October 6, 1935 in Enid, OK, son of the late Earl J. Bray and Lois (Holliday) Bray. He grew up in Enid and graduated from Enid High School before receiving his degree in art from Phillips University in Enid.
Jim was a sports enthusiast from the time he was little and had great memories and experiences. His passion for baseball started young, having traveled to the Gulf Coast with a very successful Failings sponsored little league team. He then later represented Enid in American Legion and All State baseball as well as played ball for Phillips University.
Along with his sons, Tommy and Mike, Jim was an avid fan of both the Saint Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Chiefs. Jim served 9 years in the Army National Guard and enjoyed describing his experiences with the 110th Combat Engineer Battalion, out of Kansas City, MO, which had a lot to do with blowing things up. Jim received a Special Commendation Award from the 35th Infantry Division for his teaching of demolition classes and field exercises, where he used his legendary creativity to design a unique approach to accomplishing the mission.
Jim earned two Master’s degrees from the University of Tulsa, one in 1969 and another in 1984. The Master’s Thesis for his second degree comprised of completing a body of work entitled, The Vanishing Landscape. Many of the paintings Jim created from that point forward continued this theme: the masterful depiction of old homes and farmsteads, now abandoned, that from the highway we notice as they gently sink into the landscape over the years. Jim’s creative style, whether watercolor, acrylic, or calligraphy, was consistently dramatic, unique, very structured and always satisfied a broad audience.
Jim’s career began at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, MO where he worked for 10 years, serving as Illustrator and Designer for Advertising and Sales Promotion, then as Art Director of the Contemporary Design Studio, and Art Personnel Recruiter. He won a number of awards of merit from the Kansas City Art Director’s Club for various design projects for Hallmark Cards.
In 1965, Jim was invited back to Phillips University to assist in further development of the Art Department as a faculty member. Initially an Assistant Professor, he soon also assumed administrative duties as Art Director for the Public Relations Department and eventually became Art Director for External Publications, until 1986, when he became Chairman of the Art Department. At Phillips, Jim taught Watercolor Painting, Calligraphy, and Life Drawing. He also taught Advertising Design, and was proud of the fact that his students developed not only expertise in finished production art, but also gained real world experience by completing design projects for the larger community. This was unusual for graduating art students to have achieved, and helped prepare them for future employment.
During that time, the university won numerous First Place Awards and Awards of Excellence, as well as Sweepstakes Awards for Art and Design at the national and state level for university publications. Jim also conducted watercolor short courses in Sweden, and led groups of students for semesters in Sweden, and travel in Scandinavia, Europe, and the former Soviet Union as part of a student exchange program. He also led groups of alumni for international tours.
While at Phillips, Jim also had the unique experience of teaching during the summer of 1991 at PUJ, Phillips University’s new sister campus in Uji, Japan. In 1992, Jim accepted the position of Head of the Art Department at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, MO. In addition to his administrative duties, he taught courses in watercolor, life drawing, painting and typography. He continued to teach classes at the Mullsjo Folkhogskola, a Swedish Folk School, as part of the Summer in Sweden Program, which he helped initiate in 1992. Jim attained Signature Status in the Oklahoma Watercolor Association and the National Watercolor Association. He won awards in national art competitions, often judged art competitions, and conducted workshops in watercolor painting and collage. Several of his works are featured in Gerald Brommer’s book, Collage Techniques (WatsonGuptill, 1994).
Jim retired in 2004 from MSSU, but continued teaching art in Sweden for a number of years, traveling there over 25 times before he reluctantly had to stop due to health challenges. Jim was known as a vivid storyteller, loving to tell, retell and embellish stories of his incredible adventures while traveling and teaching. He had a lifelong fascination with trains and with World War II history. Jim’s large train paintings were very popular, as were his paintings of planes. Collecting books and memorabilia related to the war was another passion, as was reading the real life stories of the people, equipment and missions involved.
Jim leaves behind many beloved family members and friends and will be greatly missed. In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by his first wife, Sandra (Jones) Bray, and sister-in-law, Catherine (Cockrell) Bray.
He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Diana (Donnell) Bray of Joplin, MO; brother Allan Bray of Enid, OK; sons Thomas Bray and wife Nettie of Enid, OK, and Michael Bray and wife Jewel of Centerton, AR; stepdaughter Holly Evers of Guthrie, OK; grandchildren Nate Bray and wife Chasey, Ashley Favela and husband Fernando, Jesse Pickel and husband Matt, Shawn Bray, Jessica Cooper and Jennifer Abbott and husband Jeff, and Audrey Evers; as well as several great grandchildren.
Interment of Jim’s ashes will be in Enid, OK with celebration services being held at a later date in both Enid, OK and Joplin, MO.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary.
