Willis Joseph Bray (1884-1961) was Professor of Chemistry at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman State University) from 1912 until 1952. He joined the faculty as Head of the Chemistry Department when Northeast was still the First District Normal School and was named Head of the Division of Science and Mathematics in 1925. While teaching at the college, he also served several terms as Chemist and Bacteriologist for the City of Kirksville. He stepped down as Division Head for health reasons in 1945 but continued teaching until June of 1952.

A first lieutenant in the United States Army Ordnance Reserve Corps, Bray was called to active duty in Washington, D. C. during World War I. He returned to the Reserves after the war, transferred from the Infantry to Chemical Warfare Service in 1926, and had risen in rank to major when recalled to active duty in 1942. A heart problem necessitated his medical retirement in March 1944.

Dr. Bray was very active in the Masonic Orders and attained the offices of Grand High Priest of the Royal Arch Masons, 1934, and Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, 1945-1946. He edited several editions of the Transactions of the Missouri Lodge of Research and authored many Masonic articles and booklets.