April 26, 1936 - May 2, 2025
Benny Gray Jr. was born April 26, 1936, in Gray to parents Benny Gray Sr. and Elizabeth Bland Lamar. He passed away May 2 in a local nursing facility.
A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, May 9 at Mount Salem Baptist Church in Gray, located at 157 Cleveland Street.
Public viewing will be held Thursday, May 8, from 12 noon to 6 p.m. at Collins Funeral Home.
He is survived by his brother, Douglas (Carolyn) Gray and his two sons, Antonio (LaChrissa) Patrick and Takeo (Sheridetric) Gray, nine grandchildren and a great granddaughter.
Gray was preceded in death by brothers, Theortis Lamar, Walter Pitts, Fred Pitt, Arthur Gray and Rufus Gray and sisters, Elizabeth Gassaway, Mattie Roberts, and Dorothy Ann Gray.
Gray was a councilman for the City of Gray for 35 years. He was elected to office in November of 1989 and began his first term in office Jan. 1, 1990. Gray was re-elected eight times. His final election was in 2021, and he remained on the council until he resigned Feb. 14, 2025.
Gray attended school in Jones County, graduating from Maggie Califf in 1958. He attended Morehouse College on a Basketball Scholarship and served in the military from 1960 – 1962.
Collins Funeral Home, 138 Dolly Street in Gray, has charge of the arrangements.
