Burlin Gray

Burlin Gray of Cleveland, Arkansas, passed away at home on September 29, 2023, following a period of poor health. Family surrounded him including Nelda Long Gray, his wife of over 71 years. The couple married in Teague, Texas, in February 1952. Burlin was born in rural Raines County, Texas on October 22, 1931. He was the 7th of 13 children born to Joe Byron Gray, a sharecropper, and Mertie Gertrude Roby Gray, a seamstress. Later the family moved to Lubbock, Texas. Burlin joined the Army and served two years in Korea with the 780th Artillery Battalion, serving on a howitzer gun crew. Following his service in the Army, he worked in the Texas oil fields for several years. Later he worked for Sante Fe and then Navajo Transportation. The family moved to Conway County Arkansas in 1970 where Burlin worked with small congregations of the Churches of Christ and developed a cleaning supply company, Gray Supply. He is survived by his wife, Nelda, and their daughters Rita Anderson of Weston Lakes, TX, Gay Williams (Marvin Lee) of Cleveland, AR, and Joyce Stobaugh (Tommy) of Hattieville, AR. Surviving grandchildren include Kary Anne Baldwin (Paul) of Fayetteville, AR, Jeremy Anderson (Mary) of Tampa, FL, Kristy Shaw of Center Ridge, AR), Heath Williams (Kristy) of Hattieville, AR, Gabriel Williams (Tammie) of Clinton, AR, Luke Williams (Kelsey) of Hattieville, AR, Emily Alvey (Gary) of Morrilton, AR and Evan Stobaugh (Kristina) of Hattieville, AR, as well as 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson. His brother, Bobby Gray (Peggy) of Greenville, Texas, sisters Faye Johnson of McGregor, TX, and Judy Evans of Sayre, OK, and numerous nieces and nephews also survive him. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers and sisters Joe Gray, Gene Gray, Lillie Mae Scallon, Clyde Gray, Lewis Gray, Eunice Chism, Melton Gray, Virginia Gray, and Dale Gray as well as their son-in-law, Clay Anderson and granddaughter Rea Fawn Anderson Spence. Funeral services will be held at the Harris Funeral Home on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at 2:00 P.M. with visitation at 1:00 P.M. The interment will be at the Grandview Cemetery. His grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

Burlin Gray

October 22, 1931 - September 29, 2023