Jessie Mae Gray, was born in Elberton, Georgia on October 30, 1927 to Jesse and Annie Mae

Allen. She was the younger sister to Gladys. In adulthood, Jessie would often recount stories of

her childhood, relaying stories of the strong disciplinarian which was Mama. It was Mama who

understood that Jessie was a child that tested the limits, and knew that if you "spare the rod,

spoil the child." Jessie and her sister had a rich childhood, one in the backdrop of the deep

south, during times that are so foreign to today's world, but that reared her to be a woman of

integrity, faith and an immeasurable strength. During her childhood, she met a young boy

named James Moses Gray "Shortie".

James and Jessie would later relocate to Monroe, North Carolina get married and have children

of their own, Veronica "Ron" and Shirley. Jessie was a chicken trimmer at Holly Farms/Tyson,

who would wake early to be at work at 6:00 a.m., and in the afternoon would retreat to her

home to take care of her girls. At Tyson, everyone knew Jessie. Jessie, with her husband,

worked hard and were able to purchase their home and pay it off, an accomplishment that gave

her great pride, as it should have as a black woman born in the early 1900s. Jessie remained in

that home, until her very last day on this earthly world.

In 1994 Jessie suffered an imaginable loss, when her daughter Veronica, succumbed to a battle

with breast cancer. Two short years later, her husband passed. Jessie had many personal

struggles in her life, yet, her faith in God brought her through every time. She was a strong

believer; it was not uncommon for her to go into prayer mid-sentence. Her favorite line: "just

put it in God's hands." She didn't need to be at church to worship, although she was a faithful

church goer of her home church Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Monroe. And she was

seldom at church without her high heels and one of her many beautiful hats.

Jessie was flirty and fun. She would throw her head back and unabashedly let out a loud laugh.

She was generous. She liked her jeans tight and was the one to teach her granddaughters how

to "strut". She was often found on Saturday morning at Belk and making her other errands

with Shirley and her grand-daughter, Erica. She loved perfume and felt she was not ready

unless she finished her look with one of her lipsticks. During the summers you could find her

hard at work in her yard, planting flowers. She took pride in her home and was obsessively

clean. She liked to cuss. She liked to be a lady. She loved her Soaps. She loved the Lord. She was

a myriad of oxymorons.

During her final years, she lost her memory. She lost her ability to recognize the faces of those

she loved, yet never forgetting their names. She lost too many things to name, but she never

lost her faith. She never lost her spirit. She sang, loudly, just weeks before her passing. For over

a decade, as she suffered with Alzheimer's disease, she was taken care of by family friend,

Bennie "JR" and her daughter, Shirley. They dedicated many years to ensure that she was

comfortable. A true manifestation of Jessie's hard work in this life, was seen through how her

daughter loved her and sacrificed until the very end.

On Thursday, June 26, 2025, Jessie transitioned, at home in her bed, peacefully while her grand-

daughter, Erica, was visiting with her, encouraging her to make the transition, reminding her of

all the good that she has done. Close by were Shirley, JR and her caregivers. She leaves behind

family and friends, because as she always would say, "she never meets a stranger." She will be supremely

missed.

Holland Funeral Service is serving the Gray Family.