Don Gray

Donnie (Don) Ray Gray of Dilley, Texas was promoted to heaven in the Methodist Hospital of San Antonio, Texas surrounded by his loving family at the age of 76.  He was born at home on the family farm near Levelland, Texas and moved to Dilley at the age of 15, making south Texas his forever home.  It was there he met his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Alley who became his wife of 57 years and the mother of his two children, Donnice and Jay.  He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Dilley and Cotulla Lodge #892, AF & AM.

Don was a righteous and virtuous man, gifted with wisdom, understanding, counsel, courage, knowledge, faith, and fear of the Lord. He conducted himself this way in every situation of life, whether it be business or personal.   Don was a true gentleman, always slow to anger and quick to forgive.  Because of these things, he was loved and admired by the people who knew him. He was a private person with many accomplishments in life, but he believed the measure of a man was by his character, how he lived his life, treated others, and honored his word.  This attribute influenced those who knew him as they gained their own successes in life.  When asked how he wanted to be remembered, his response was, “I want to be remembered as being fair to everyone”, and indeed he was, regardless of their position in life.  Holding true to traditional family values, Don was the patriarch of his family, where immediate and extended family members turned to him for advice through the years.  He loved his family and always placed their needs before his. 

Don’s favorite hobbies were to be on a tractor farming peanuts and watermelons, flying an airplane or training his bird dogs. He also treasured spending time with his family, traveling with his wife, snow skiing with his daughter, or quail hunting with his son, son-in-law and prized English Pointers all affectionately named after Disney princesses.  But his fondest memories were those with his grandchildren, especially the summer months they spent with him in Dilley every year, appropriately referred to as Camp Meme Papa.

In 2004, Don received the gift of life in a double transplant.  He received a kidney and liver from an anonymous family.  This gift allowed him to live life to its fullest for 16 more years.  Don’s family asks you to consider becoming an organ donor to grant another family the same opportunity.  He is predeceased by his parents Lillian Pierson, Lester Gray, and son Jay Gray.  Don is survived by his wife Carolyn, daughter Donnice Thode (Steve), grandchildren Savannah Thode and David Thode, sisters Pat Gray, June Phillips (Wendell), stepsister Sandi Ward (Arthur), nieces, nephews, and many friends he considered family. His love, patience and guidance will be missed.

A special thank you to Dr. Juan Gonzales (Houston), Dr. Muhammed Khan (Pearsall) and the Surgical ICU Doctors and Staff at Methodist Hospital (San Antonio) who were instrumental in the care of Don, as well as their support for the family.

Pallbearers are Justin Furnace, Benny Gray, Joe Mathews, Daniel Mosley, Jr., Gary Phillips, and Steve Phillips.

Honorary pallbearers are: Gerald Burris, Denny DuBose, Kevin DuBose, Kenneth Hermes, Randy Hermes, John Edgar Hugo, Cliff Keck, David Mergele, Ryan Mergele, and Mike Urban.

Memorials may be made to:

Dilley First Baptist Church, PO Box 1968, Dilley, TX 78017 or Dilley Cemetery Association PO Box 9, Dilley, TX 78017.

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