Lorna Mae McCraw

Lorna Mae Bailey McCraw passed into the arms of Jesus May 22, 2021 just short of her 100th birthday. Anyone who knew Lorna Mae, knew her great love for her Lord, her church, knew her boundless energy, caring nature, and selfless love and loyalty to her family and friends.

Lorna was born in Slaughters KY July 7, 1921 to parents Jessie and Seth Bailey. She was number 4 in a family of five children; Durward, Lanny, Joyce, Lorna, and Earl. Her father was a Methodist minister which meant the family frequently moved for a new church assignment. These moves helped develop her friendly easygoing nature. During her childhood she lived in Slaughters Ky, Sturges Ky, Providence Ky, Drakesboro Ky, Cowgill Mo., Bertram, Three Rivers, Devine, Cotulla, and LA Grange Tx.

In La Grange she met the love of her life, Leon McCraw. They married June 27, 1942 and would have celebrated their 79 anniversary this June. They have three children, Pamela, Ronald, and Rebecca.

After her graduation from La Grange high school in 1939 Lorna went to work for a local lawyer who soon recommended her for a secretarial position at the newly formed draft board in La Grange.

Lorna and Leon moved to Baytown, where she worked at various secretarial positions including Brown and Root, Stone and Webster, Shell oil and finally she reconnected with the Baytown draft board and worked there until it closed in 1974. She excelled in her jobs and never grew tired of helping and serving others. She thought when her job at the Draft Board no longer was needed, she would be a stay at home wife and mother but within 2 months of her retirement she was asked to be Grace Methodist church secretary. She found a new way of loving and caring for others by serving the members and staff at her church. She worked under the leadership of nine different Pastors during her years of service. She reluctantly retired at 77 after 25 years of dedication and love to the members and staff of Grace.

Another love she discovered while working for the church was the love of travel. She organized and planned over 20 bus trips across the U.S. and Canada and planned in part her dream trip to Israel with Pastor Dale Chance.

Lorna was blessed with numerous lifelong friends whom she loved and with whom she enjoyed sharing adventures. Lorna and Leon helped form a 42 domino club with 3 other couples, Erwins, Muennicks, and Bryans where they met twice a month in member’s homes. This club stayed together and fellowshipped over 55 years adding members as ones would pass away. Bobbie Jane Wimmer is still friends with Lorna until her death.

After her retirement her perpetual exuberance for life and selfless love drove her to do volunteer work: San Jacinto Hospital Corp of volunteers, church, thrift shop, and Curt’s Kitchen or whenever someone needed help.

One of Lorna’s proudest moments was when she was selected by the Baytown Sun as an Unsung Hero 2004. Her granddaughter, Hilari had nominated her for this award with a glowing letter of her grandmother’s many selfless acts and hours she had spent helping others.

In her nineties she succumbed to dementia but was able to continue to bless others with her sweet encouraging spirit. She loved her caregivers and told them daily how special they were. Norma, Dorothy, Hilari, LaLa, Sylvia and Roni all benefitted from mothers affection, humor, and gratefulness. She was truly a Proverbs 31 woman.

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many woman do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:28-30

She is preceded in death by her parents, Rev. Seth and Jessie Bailey, her daughter Pamela, grandson Nicholas Armstrong, granddaughter Hilari Armstrong Wolfe, brothers Malcom, Durwood, Lanny, E.B. Bailey and sister Joyce Payne.

She is survived by her husband of 79 YEARS, Leon McCraw, son, Dr. Ron McCraw, daughter and son in law Becky and George Armstrong, grandson Joshua Armstrong and great grandson Ethan Wolfe and his father Mike Wolfe.

Donations in memory of Lorna may be made to Cedar Bayou Grace UMC or Curts Kitchen or MBS at Cedar Bayou Grace UMC.