Mrs. Ruby Lee Gray

Reflections of a Life Well-Lived

After a brief illness, Mrs. Ruby Lee Gray departed this life Saturday, November 14, at the residence of her daughter and son-in-law in St. Louis, Missouri. She was surrounded by family and friends.

Mrs. Gray was born November 7, 1934 in Franklin, North Carolina, to Willie, and Selma Evans, and was later raised by her Mother and Stepfather, Professor Tharps. Mrs. Gray and her mother moved back to Alabama, where she accepted Christ at a young age and joined St. Luke A.M.E. Church. She completed her schooling in Montgomery, Alabama. After high school, she married her first husband, and they had one daughter. Many years later, she traveled to Ft. Lewis, Washington, and met her husband, Clifton Gray, and to this union five children were born.

Ruby and her husband and children traveled extensively while in the military before settling in St. Louis, where they made their home. After the death of her husband, Ruby applied and got hired at the U.S. Postal Service, where she worked until her retirement. After her retirement, her main focus became her four grandsons, whom she raised. Mrs. Gray was fondly called “Granny” by most of the neighborhood children, and if you went to Mrs. Gray’s or Granny’s house, no one ever left hungry or without a place to sleep.

Mrs. Ruby Gray leaves to cherish her memories: five daughters and one son: Ruby (Victor) Laurie of Dothan, AL, James (Grace) Evans of Covington, GA, Vanessa (Larry) Washington of Rex, GA, Christina and Regina Gray, and Vegina (Mark) Taylor, all of St. Louis, Missouri; sixteen grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, several cousins, nieces, and nephews; a special sister-in-law in Baltimore, MD; a special cousin, Dorothy Brooks of Columbia, AL; a very special childhood friend, Loletha Cummings