Oscar "O.L." Lee Gray

Lone Grove - Funeral Services for Mr. Oscar Lee "O.L." Gray, Jr., 85 of Wilson are scheduled for 2:00 PM Saturday Dec. 23, 2017 at the New Hope Freewill Baptist Church with Rev. David Gardner and Rev. Jason Langley officiating. Interment will follow at the Hewitt Cemetery in Wilson. Services are under the direction and care of Alexander Funeral Home of Wilson.

O.L. was born at Simon on April 18, 1932 to the late Mr. Oscar Lee "Os" Gray, Sr. and Mrs. Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" (Jones) Gray. He departed this life on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017 at his home in Wilson surrounded by his loving family.

O.L was raised in the surrounding areas of Wilson as the oldest boy of nine children. He graduated High School at Lone Grove in 1950. Soon after, he married the love of his life Ms. Maxine Hacker on June 2, 1951 at Wilson. He always farmed and ranched but was most well known for owning and operating the Phillips 66 service station on main street in Wilson for many years. He also owned and operated Exxon Mobil service station for a short while before becoming the rural mail carrier for the Wilson Post Office. After many years of service to the U.S. Postal Service he retired from there in 1992.

O.L. loved people and interacting with the public as often as he could. He always helped others and held his family as his highest possession. His passion was farming and ranching, always loving to be on a tractor plowing his ground. With the help from the good Lord he raised many of peanuts and was never afraid of hard work. He said we are care takers of the land and that water would one day be our most precious resource. His Beefmaster cattle were pets not cattle, and O.L. always felt at home in the the pasture or woods.

In his later years he and Maxine enjoyed dancing with all their friends and family. He loved listening to cajun music and dancing with his wife. They enjoyed many travels together and never spent any moment without one another. Their love for for each other was unfading and never wavered throughout the years. O.L was proud to know Jesus and even displayed it on the front of his truck tag that read "Papa loves Jesus", wanting all to know his Savior. He was proud to be a member of the New Hope Freewill Baptist Church of Lone Grove and considered Bro. David Gardner one of his own family.

Preceding him in death are his Parents, Os and Lizzie Gray; infant daughter, Goldie Lou Gray; sister, Ima Jewel Simmons; brother, Jimmy Gray; grandsons, Joshua Collett and Keenan Gray and granddaughter, Milissa "Missy" VanBuskirk Glazier.

Survivors include his loving wife Maxine of the home; daughters, Janet Magby and husband John of Wilson and Anita Hunter and husband David of Ardmore; sons, Harold Gray of Wilson and Ronnie Gray and wife Sheila of Wilson; sisters, JoAnn Kinney and husband Jim, Bonnie Hodges, all of of Wilson and Carolyn McKinnon of Gainesville, TX; brothers, Danny Gray and wife Sharon of Simon, Richard Gray of Wilson and Roger Gray and wife Deloris also of Wilson; 16 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and other family.

Casket Bearers will be Harold Gray, Ronnie Gray, Zane Gray, Colby VanBuskirk, Colton Collett, Bubba Gray, Jaron Gray, John Magby and David Hunter.

Honorary Bearers are Danny Gray, Richard Gray, Roger Gray and Jim Kinney.

Family visitation will be from 6 to 8 PM Friday evening at Alexander Funeral Home of Wilson.

Condolences may be sent online at www.alexanderfuneralhome.org