Helen Marguerite Gray

Services for Helen Marguerite Reames Gray, 89, of Tyler, Texas, will be held on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 10:00 am, at First Baptist Church, 301 West Ferguson, with Rev. Pike Wisner and The Rev. Dr. Stuart Baskin officiating. Burial will be held at 2:30 pm at Black Hills Cemetery near Corsicana, Texas under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Helen unexpectedly passed away Friday, January 1. She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church where she assisted for many years with the three-year-olds’ Sunday School class. Helen was born in Navarro County to Homer and Jewel Threet Reames. She married her high-school sweetheart, Harrell Gray, when she was only 17 and together they raised their family, participated in church work, camped throughout Colorado, and traveled the world. She graduated from Emhouse High School and Navarro Junior College and studied Early Childhood Education at Texas Eastern University (now the University of Texas at Tyler). Helen’s first job was working at the candy counter at F. W. Woolworth in Corsicana. She then worked in sales and as a buyer for J. M. Dyer Department Store and was later employed as the Director of Family Services where she served families in need of emergency provisions. After moving with her family to Tyler in 1967, she joined the staff of the Child Development Center at First Baptist Church. Beginning as a caregiver in the infant room, she became the Director of the program. After the birth of her grandchild, Katie, she spent the rest of her life as a loving, doting, full-time grandmother. During these years she was an active volunteer for the Tyler Association for the Educators of Young Children, Azleway Boys Ranch, PATH, HIS House, First Baptist Church, the Quilters’ Guild and the Foreign Student Association. One of her favorite volunteer activities was serving as a docent for the Brookshires Wildlife Museum. She was proud to be the longest-serving charter docent. She lived the final five years of her life at Meadow Lake Retirement Community where she made many friends and actively participated in their programs and events. Helen was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Harrell, and a host of family and friends. She is survived by her loving family including daughter and son-in-law, Kathey and Ed Comer; granddaughter, Katie Comer; grandchildren-by-choice, Luong and Melissa Dang and Linh Brice; and great-grandchildren-by-choice, Laura, Samantha and Luong Edward Dang and Madison and Levi Brice; sister, Kathryn Watkins and many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends. Visitation is scheduled from 5:00 - 7:00 pm on Monday, January 4 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, in Tyler. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Azleway Boys Ranch, 15892 CR 26, Tyler, TX 75707 or online at azleway.org; PATH, 402 West Front, Tyler, TX 75702 or online at pathhelps.org; or the charity of your choice.

Helen Marguerite Gray

August 28, 1926 - January 1, 2016