JOHN GRAY Obituary

Reverend John W. Gray

John W. Gray was born in Jefferson, Texas on January 8, 1947, one of six children, to Rosie Smith.  John’s mother passed when he was a young boy.  Subsequently, he was raised by his older sister, Lessie Figueres.  John was baptized at an early age at Cypress Chapel Baptist Church of Jefferson.  He attended schools in the Jefferson School District from grades kindergarten through senior high and graduated valedictorian from both junior and senior high schools.

After graduating from high school, John enlisted in the United States Air Force.  It was June 1971 when he received an honorable discharge after serving four years of active duty and two years in the reserves.  While still in the reserves, John moved to Houston, Texas, in 1969, and became employed with Atlantic Richfield/Lyondell Petro-Chemical Company.  He worked there until he retired thirty years later in 1999.  John received a Bachelor of Science degree in June 2004, from the College of Biblical Studies, Houston, where he was on the Dean’s List.

John and his wife, Faye, were married for fifty-four years.  Their two children are: a son, Reynoldo Ray and a daughter, Ericka Elaine.  They both have two children.  Ray’s children are: Reyvan (27) and Reychal (20); Ericka’s children are: Ajunai (30) and Bryson (22).

John became a member of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, Texas, in 1975.  During his tenure as a member, he served as a Sunday School Teacher and taught both high school age youth and adults.  He was ordained as a Deacon in 1984.  After acknowledging God’s call for him to serve as a minister of the Gospel, John preached his first sermon March 14, 1990, and was subsequently licensed accordingly.  He was later ordained as a Minister, February 4, 2001. After being ordained, John served as Assistant Pastor to the late Rev. Fred C. Holliday, Pastor of Lighthouse Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, Texas, and the late Rev. Eddie L. Thomas, Pastor of Pilgrim Branch Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, Texas.  In August 2002, John responded to God’s calling to organize a church, which he did.  Abiding Love Baptist Church of Houston was founded, and John served the congregation sixteen years, from August 2002 until August 2018.  The primary outreach ministry of the church was spending time sharing God’s Word with tenants of a nursing home, which he did monthly for more than 15 years.

In late August 2018, John again responded to the leading of the Holy Spirit and visited Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston where Dr. Duane Brooks is Pastor.  In September 2018, John and Faye became official members of Tallowood.

John entered eternal rest on Saturday, October 12, 2024.

John is preceded in death by his mother, Rosie Smith; sisters, Shirley Powell and Ora Lee Acker; brother, John A. Smith; and niece, Sandra Figures.

John leaves to cherish his memories his wife, Faye L. Gray; his son, Reynoldo Ray Gray; his daughter, Ericka Elaine Culton (Byron); his grandchildren, Reyvan Gray, Reychal Gray, Bryson Culton, and Ajunai Culton; his great grandchildren, Azariah Sage Crump and Alex Crump, Jr.; sisters, Lessie Figures, and Reverend Marilyn White; nieces, Dee Spencer Bush and Renita Kirk; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends.