Evonne Arnason Bray

Asta Evonne Arnason Bray was born a triplet, one of ten 100% Icelandic siblings. She was the mother of 5, grandmother of 11, and great-grandmother of 27 (with 1 more on the way). She was a strong, independent, working woman who lived on her own after her husband’s death in 2009 until she was almost 93. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 14, 2024, after a life well lived, and is now in the loving arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ.

Evonne and her triplet sisters Eloise and Elaine were born to Sigrid and Richard Arnason in 1931 at St. Michael’s Hospital in Grand Forks, ND. They were raised with their seven other siblings on the family farm in Hensel, ND, before later moving to Grand Forks.

Every activity of “the triplets” was reported in the Grand Forks Herald. They were always impeccably dressed, with their hair perfectly curled. They were proficient pianists who even performed trios. In 1949, the Arnason siblings set a record at the University of North Dakota for having 6 siblings enrolled at once. Along with younger sister Gloria, they all married husbands who had themselves been good friends since childhood.

Evonne graduated from the University of North Dakota with a bachelor’s degree in business. In Grand Forks, she worked in the family-owned women’s apparel store, “Bray’s.” After moving to Dallas in 1968, she began a multi-decade career with Martha Foster Group at the Dallas Apparel Mart and the World Trade Center, where her coworkers were also her beloved friends. Her husband, Hugh Bray, was also in apparel with Haggar Slacks. Evonne worked until she was 82 years old and always loved it!

Evonne also loved babies but had no idea what to do with teenagers, though her own children always knew her love for them. Children and grandchildren alike remember the warmth of holiday celebrations and her big Sunday night dinners highlighted by “Mimi’s mashed potatoes.” She was a tiny woman (married to a man of towering height!) who came from hardy stock and was blessed with a great sense of humor and strong resolve. For 14 years until his death, she took tender care of her husband, Hugh, who lived with ALS. She loved going to grandkids’ sporting events, where she was more restrained in correcting the referees than she had been at her own sons’ baseball or soccer games.

Perhaps because she had been born during the Great Depression and was a teenager during World War II, Evonne was a resilient woman, one of whose favorite catchphrases was, “It is what it is!”

She was a consummate hostess for her family at her and Hugh’s home on Chapel Downs, and later at their home on Lomo Alto, where her grandchildren and great-grandchildren called her “Mimi” and Hugh “Bop Bop.” Though the grandkids were themselves never allowed to touch Bop Bop’s prized toy car collection, Mimi enjoyed giving the great-grandchildren free reign to play with the toy cars after Hugh’s death. Naturally, they all loved visiting her!

Evonne is survived by her sister Gloria and Gloria’s husband Bob McKinnon; her sister-in-law Barbara Bray; and sister-in-law Georgia and Georgia’s husband Andy Ponciano. She will be greatly missed by her children: Barbara Wall; Marguerite “Maggie” and Robert Murchison; Nancy and Joe Martin, Jr.; George and Susana Bray; Hugh “Rocky” and Tami Bray; as well as many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank especially Evonne’s dear friends Pam Harrell and Larry Deborde for their love and attention, as well as the wonderful staff at Crestpark, where Evonne lived for many years.

In leu of flowers please consider a donation to the Bray endowment fund at:

Ursuline Academy

4900 Walnut Lane

Dallas, TX 75229.