One of the pioneers of Redlands Easter Festival, Merna Gray, has died.
Mrs Gray moved to the Redlands in 1988, where her husband, Glen Gray, started the Bethel Christian Family church.
Pastor Gray headed the church until receiving new leadership in 2001.
Mrs Gray was instrumental in developing the newly formed church's music, Sunday school and women's ministries.
During these years, the Redland community started drawing up plans for an Easter festival.
Mrs Gray worked to get all denominations to commit to the festival, which was designed as a free, fun-based event at Easter.
She lobbied everyone from bishops, politicians, pastors and reverends to give money and time to make the event successful.
She also worked with local businesses to get food and goods donated for the festival, which is still held each year at the Cleveland showground.
The Easter festival is one of the top events on Redland City's calendar.
Even from a young age, Mrs Gray had connections with the bayside and travelled to Cleveland when Old Cleveland Road was just a dirt track.
Merna Joyce Pedler was born August 22, 1935, to Claude William Pedler and Coronation Daisy Parker and grew up in Wynnum.
She was the eldest of four children and is survived by sisters Glenys and Lorelle, and brother Barry.
She attended Gumdale and Wynnum Primary, and Wynnum State High schools before studying to become a teacher.
After graduating, she taught domestic science, biology and chemistry in Brisbane, Bundaberg, Malanda, Wynnum North and Moreton Bay Girl's College.
She went overseas with sister Glenys and then returned to Brisbane to start Bible College, graduating as dux in 1963.
In 1964, she became the pianist at Belmont Assembly of God Church.
When she was 30, she married Glen Gray. The couple continued work at the Belmont Assembly of God Church until 1971.
When she was 35, Mrs Gray had her first son Stephen and three years later, the family moved to Mount Isa where son Brendan, and daughter, Bronwyn were born.
The family stayed in Mount Isa from 1971 to 1978, when they moved to the church in Kingaroy.
While there, Mrs Gray organised the "Jesus and me in 83", an Easter program run for Assembly of God youth.
In 1993, the family moved to Monterey Avenue, Thornlands.
Mrs Gray also played a leading role in setting up an annual prayer breakfast.
The event, the forerunner of the annual Mayoral Prayer Breakfast, was held at Pinklands Sporting Complex, Thornlands.
She was also involved in Aglow, a Christian group, and was on the committees of the RedFest and the Mayoral Prayer Breakfast.
