Thelma Pray

Thelma Pray, 88, of Lebanon died Monday, May 28, 2007 at the Rochester Manor in Rochester, New Hampshire.Mrs. Pray was born in Pittsfield, Maine on March 4, 1919 to Elmer and Eva Cowan Hall and attended local schools. She and her husband George were married in 1938. At the age of 33, Thelma lost her eyesight. She attended a 5-month rehab in North Carolina to learn to adjust to her lost vision. With hard work and determination, she was able to complete this program in only 3 months. She twice participated in a ten mile walk-a-thon with her guide dog Pam to benefit Guiding Eyes for the Blind.During her life Thelma worked as a dressmaker. She was able to do this because of her tremendous work ethic and ability to adjust to her loss of vision. Her favorite hobbies included knitting, braiding rugs, crocheting and making cane chairs. She was a member of the Southern Maine Senior Citizens, Maine's Fraternal Organization for the Blind, The Southern Area Agency on Aging and had been a member of the Riverside Grange since 1932. She had also been appointed by the governor to serve on the Adaptive Equipment Loan Board. Mrs. Pray was very devoted to her family and friends. She will be remembered as a kind and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Thelma was predeceased by 3 brothers, Leon, Richard and Kenneth Hall.Surviving are her husband, George W. Pray of Lebanon; a son, George W. Pray and his wife Diane of Lebanon; 2 daughters, Cathy Winship and her husband Todd of Smithfield, ME and Linda Lemoyne and her husband Robert of Lebanon; a brother, Wayne Hall; 7 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.A period of visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Thursday May 31, 2007 at the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, located at 580 Main Street in Springvale. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home the following day at 11:30 AM. Burial will follow at Oakdale Cemetery in Sanford. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be sent to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598. To leave a message of condolence for the family please use the condolences tab to the left.