Wray Jean Braun, widow of longtime Cincinnati TV host Bob Braun and mother of former TV anchor Rob Braun, died Saturday after a long illness, Rob announced on Facebook Sunday. She was 89.
Wray Jean Wilkinson was born in Indianapolis and grew up in Northside. She met her future husband in May 1954 modeling swimsuits on WCPO-TV's Shepherd's Fashion Corner. Braun, the station's announcer for the show, said his "eyes caught sight of a gorgeous brunette with the biggest, bluest eyes I had ever seen," he wrote in his 1969 autobiography, Here's Bob.
They were engaged three weeks later, and married on Oct. 30, 1954. They had three children: Robert (Rob) Jr., Doug and Melissa. The couple first lived in North College Hill, then in Mount Airy — not far from her old Northside neighborhood.
Bob Braun frequently talked about Wray Jean on his TV and radio shows after joining top-rated WLWT-TV and WLW-AM on Feb. 9, 1957. He was a co-host on Ruth Lyons' popular live noon 50-50 Club show for 10 years, then took over the show when she retired in 1967. The renamed Bob Braun Show was canceled in 1984.
Wray Jean and Bob moved to Los Angeles after Channel 5 dropped the Braun Show. Bob hosted parades, pageants and infomercials in Southern California for about 10 years before they moved back home, where Bob ended his career as a radio DJ playing big band music. He died in 2001 at age 71.
Rob said on Facebook that his mother tried to keep the children grounded even though they could come home from school to find comedian Bob Hope, American Bandstand host Dick Clark or Batman star Adam West in their house.
''Mom was determined that her children would be 'normal.' We went to public schools, played sports and did everything as normal as possible, except some days when we came home from school (and) people like Bob Hope, Dick Clark, Batman and many others were there to greet us as we got off the bus.
"It wasn’t quite 'normal,' but mom told us it was. Mom was a loving, caring woman dedicated to God and family," said Rob, who followed his father into show business after a brief career in carnival food service and managing restaurants. He was WKRC-TV's main news co-anchor for most of his 35 years at the station. He retired from broadcasting in 2019 to become a full-time farmer near Falmouth, Ky.
Here is Rob's entire message about his mother:
"A lot of you, my friends, know my Mother. I want to tell you she died last night at the age of 89.
"Mom had an interesting life, born in Indianapolis and grew up in Northside. She met my father modeling in a show he was hosting. It was the early years of Television so unusual and new it brought attention to our family.
Many of Mom and Dad's friends were movie and television stars. It made life interesting but odd by comparison. Mom was determined that her children would be 'normal.' We went to public schools, played sports and did everything as normal as possible except some days when we came home from school people like Bob Hope, Dick Clark , Batman and many others were there to greet us as we got off the bus. It wasn’t quite 'normal' but mom told us it was.
"Mom was a loving, caring woman dedicated to God and family. We learned after Dad's death in 2001 that mom was really the tough one in the family, facing life without her husband (and) having lost her dream of travel at retirement.
"Mom lived out her life at Marjorie P. Lee Retirement Community under the care of a loving staff battling Parkinson’s disease just like my father did. Mom was not afraid to die, believing she was going to be with Dad again in heaven. She went peacefully and quietly last night with her family by her side. We, too, believe she’s with Dad.
"If you feel so inclined in lieu of flowers and cards a gift to the Episcopal Retirement Foundation would be appreciated. The charity will help someone else enjoy the wonderful care mom received. Episcopal Retirement Services Foundation, 3870 Virginia Avenue, Cincinnati OH 45227 or episcopalretirement.com.”
