ANNIE 'ELIZABETH' MOOSE GRAY
Sept. 23, 1905-March 16, 2008
CHARLOTTE -- Annie "Elizabeth" Moose Gray, 102, died peacefully in her home on Sunday with her granddaughter, Susan, and her son, John and his wife, Colleen, taking care of her. She was born in Hickory, N.C., one of seven children of the late John Wesley and Daisy Elizabeth Moose.
She attended the business school at Lenoir-Rhyne College and worked for seven years at Liberty Mutual Life Insurance Company. She left the insurance company when she married, because married women were not allowed to work there at that time.
Mrs. Gray married Francis Milton Gray on March 30, 1929, a young man she saw at her church and without having met him, she told her friends she was going to marry him one day. He preceded her in death in 1987 after 58 years of marriage.
When asked her secret for her longevity in life, Mrs. .Gray always replied with the same answer, "Hard work". She was always busy, taking care of her family, helping her friend, Corky, for 25 years with work in the office at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, where she was an active member for 45 years, taking trips with her friends from church, cooking, sewing, knitting and crocheting, and working in her beloved garden that she loved so much. Her beautiful yard is a history of her life. She lived in the same house for the past 45 years, but in earlier years when her husband's job transferred him from city to city, she always moved her flowers and plants with her. She has flowers given to her by family and friends in her yard that date to the 1940s.
She was an avid Atlanta Braves fan and attended many games with her granddaughter, including the 1992 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Although the Atlanta Braves did not win the World Series that year, her optimistic attitude always gave her hope for a win the next year.
Survivors include her son, John Robert Gray and wife, Colleen, of Goldsboro, N.C.; her granddaughter, Susan Gray of the home; grandsons, John R. Gray Jr. and wife, Lori, of Salisbury, N.C., David Gray of Charlotte, N.C.; her beloved great-grands (as she referred to them), Harrison, a student at N.C. State University, Glen Elizabeth and Robert of Salisbury, N.C.; brother, Ralph Moose and wife, Kittie, of North Myrtle Beach, S.C.; sisters-in-laws, Evelyn Moore of Lexington, S.C., Carolyn Moose of Newberry, S.C.; and a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Gray is predeceased by her daughter-in-law, Helen Hendrick Gray; her brothers, Blake Moose, Shelton Moose and Harry Moose; and her sisters, Hazael Derrick and Edith Brock.
The family will receive friends at Holy Trinity Luther-an Church, 1900 The Plaza, on Wednesday, March 19, from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. with the funeral following at 2 p.m. at the church. Interment will follow in Sharon Memorial Park.
The family wishes to express their love and sincere appreciation to Beth and Nancy Finger, whose love, friendship and support meant so much to Mrs. Gray and her granddaughter, Susan, and to the angels of mercy at Hospice and Palliative Care of Charlotte, N.C. The family also wishes to thank Carie Eller for her support and caring.
Memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Charlotte, 1429 E. Seventh St., Charlotte, N.C. 28204 or Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1900 The Plaza, Charlotte, N.C. 28205.
Arrangements are in the care of McEwen Funeral Home, 5716 Monroe Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28212, 704-334-6421.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on March 18, 2008 1:50 PM