GRAY: Johnnie Loretta Grooms, 72, of Gray Highway, died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012, in a local hospital. The family is greeting friends from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m., prior to an 11:00 a.m. funeral, on Thursday, Aug. 9, at Calvary Baptist Church in Gray. The Rev. Danny Mundy and Dr. Donnie Melton are officiating. Burial will follow at Macon Memorial Park Cemetery in Macon.

Mrs. Grooms was born in Macon on March 6, 1940, and had lived in the Middle Georgia area most of her life. She was the daughter of the late Willie Horton and Bertha Neal Horton. After completing her education, Mrs. Grooms earned her license as a registered nurse and worked for over 20 years for Bel Harbor Nursing Home. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Gray, loved fishing and dipping snuff. Mrs. Grooms was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Edward Grooms.

Mrs. Grooms is survived by her daughters and son-in-law, Robin and Joel Knight of Jones County, Betty Williams of Macon and Sara Horton of Kansas City, Mo.; son and daughter-in-law, Roy and Amy Grooms of Macon; brother, Charlie Horton of North Georgia; and by several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a great-great-granddaughter.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to help defray funeral costs, to Roy Grooms, 5731 Sandy Lynne Lane, Macon, GA 31216.

The family may be contacted at the residence at 3539 Gray Highway in Gray.

Bridges Funeral Home and Crematory in Gray has charge of arrangements. Please visit the online memorial at www.bridgesfh.com.