James “Jimmy” Irvin Gray Jr., 77, died Sunday, December 4, 2022, at his home in Patterson.
He was born October 31, 1945 in Savannah to James “Irvin” Gray Sr. and Mittie Ola Floyd Gray, and was the youngest of five children. As a child, his family moved a good bit, mostly around Savannah, Rincon, Uvalda, Cedar Crossing, Vidalia and Bloomingdale. He moved to Alston in 2007, and then to Patterson in 2021. He started working at a young age delivering milk bottles, newspapers, cutting grass, helping his Uncle Rabon and Aunt Frankie Gray at their farm every summer, working at Bradley Plywood, P.P. Patrick’s Grocery in Bloomingdale, and many other jobs. He would go on to serve a total of 12 years in the United States Army in the 11th Special Forces and was a Green Beret. After his military service, he worked at Union Camp Paper Company for 12 years, before eventually founding and operating Gray’s Machine and Hydraulics in Blitchton and later, Gray’s Machine and Fabrication in Denmark. He owned and operated several machine shops in various cities over his lifetime. He was a good-hearted, determined, hard-working and hard-headed person. He loved Confederate Civil War history, family genealogy and watching westerns, especially those starring John Wayne. He loved his family and friends deeply and found a great deal of satisfaction in working to provide for his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James Irvin Gray and Mittie Ola Floyd Gray; brothers, Billy Gray, Harold Gray, Raymond Gray and his brother in his heart, H.J. Johnson; sisters-in-law, Sarah Nell Gray and Iris Gray and adopted sister, Reba Gray Powell.
His family includes his wife, Paula Mobley Gray, Patterson; daughter, Holly Gray Hughes of Statesboro; sons and daughters-in-law, Kevin Gray (Jennifer), Brooklet, John Gray Brewer (Elizabeth Caponigro), Beaufort, SC and Irvin Gray, Patterson; grandchildren, Dylan Hughes (Brittany), Statesboro, Justin Gray (fiancé, Caitlyn), Guyton, Ainsley Hughes (James Whitten), Gainesville, Kaleb Hughes, Statesboro, Addyson Gray and Austin Gray, both of Brooklet, David Caponigro and Angelo Caponigro, both of Beaufort, SC; great-grandchildren, Alexis Hughes, Presley Hughes, Parry Hughes, Gage Hughes, Gatlynn Hughes, Payneton Hughes, Colton Whitten, Cayden Whitten, L.J. Whitten, Grayson Partin, Gunner Partin and two more great-grandchildren to be born in February 2023, Granger Russell Winchester Hughes and Gracie May Whitten; his sister, who was another mama to him, Iris Gray Johnson, Alston; sister-in-law, Joyce Gray, McNatt Falls; “adopted” kids, Bert Miller (April), Ellabell and Leigh Anne Miller, Rincon; god-daughter, Kelly Wingate; “adopted” brothers and sisters, Janice Miller (Danny), Pembroke, Betty Jean Outler (Jimmy), Jaek, Mike (Sue) and Craig Johnson, Ernie Gray (Sarah), all of Alston and Keith Johnson of Jacksonville, FL.
Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at the funeral home.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 from the chapel of Ronald V. Hall Funeral home with Pastor Melvin Kramer and Pastor Ron Johnson officiating.
Interment will be at Smyrna Church Cemetery at a later date.
Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home of Vidalia is in charge of arrangements.
