In loving memory of
Lura Adline Gray
January 8, 1921 - August 14, 2017
Funeral services for Mrs. Lura Adline Garner Gray, age 96, of Livingston will be conducted 2 p.m., Thursday, August 17, 2017 from the Livingston First Baptist Church. Bro. Scott Allred & Derrick Crabtree will officiate. Burial will be in the Good Hope Cemetery Annex. The family will welcome friends on Wednesday evening from 5 until 8 p.m. & on Thursday from 12 noon until time of the services, at the First Baptist Church in Livingston.
Mrs. Gray passed peacefully in her sleep on Monday night, August 14, 2017 at the Livingston Regional Hospital.
It was on a large 400 acre farm just about four miles out of Monticello, Kentucky that Will Garner and wife Roxie Bell Garner raised a large family of eleven children during the early 1900's. Now, all of those Garner children are deceased, but the farm still remains in their family today. One of those family member has lived in Livingston since the early 1940's and is well known here, most folks don't know she originates from the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The life of Lura Garner, who grew up to become Lura Gray, began on January 8, 1921. She was the eighth child in that family of eleven children. Her siblings in the order of their births are Donald, Herbert, Chester (who passed at a young age), Della, Clara, Roy (nicknamed Pepper), Erman, Lucy, Raymond & Jessie.
On July 19, 1943 she married E.B. Gray, Jr. and started her family. She along with her late husband was the owner/operator of E B Gray Jewelry. They carried out a tradition of trust to the people that remains one of the best jewelry stores in the Upper Cumberlands. Lura was a long time member of the First Methodist Church in Livingston. She also was a long time member of the Eastern Star and was a Grand Deputy for the Rainbow Girls. Lura enjoyed working in her flowers and basket weaving. Lura loved baking cookies and walking the neighborhood giving them away. She would send Sluggo German Chocolate cakes when he was in Vietnam. She never thought anything about cooking for 30 or more people at once. She was proud to be a cancer survivor. She loved her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren & great-great grandchildren. She especially loved working with all the families throughout the years in Overton and surrounding counties.
Mrs. Gray is survived by her daughter, Virginia Harris & husband Royce of Livingston, TN; son, Sluggo Gray & wife Gail of Byrdstown, TN; grandchildren, Melissa Crabtree & husband Michael of Maryville, TN, Leon Harris of Livingston, TN & Suzy Taylor & husband Steve of Cookeville, TN; great grandchildren, Shelby Taylor, Maggie Cannon, Derrick Crabtree, Katie Miller, Jena Harris & Kelsey Meadows; & great great grandchildren, Lucy Miller & Liam Crabtree. Close friend and family member Judy Seber.
Pallbearers to serve are Mike Crabtree, Derrick Crabtree, Steve Taylor, Leon Harris, Tracy Garner & Marshall Cannon.
Honorary Pallbearers are Gearld Maynord, Greg Etheredge & Scott Garner.
Memorial Donations may be made to the Gideons International or the St. Judes Childrens Hospital by contacting Speck Funeral Home.