MSGT Paul Preston "P.R." Gray Jr., age 92, passed away on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at the Valley Healthcare Center in Chilhowie, Va.
P.R. was born in Chilhowie, Va., on August 25, 1929. He was a graduate of Chilhowie High School and was part of the first team in 1947 to be officially named the Chilhowie Warriors. P.R. played a role in helping give Chilhowie the Warriors name. He was a graduate of Hiwassee College, where he played for the college baseball team. P.R. joined the U.S. Air Force and served his country for 21 years, retiring as Master Sergeant. During his military career, he served one tour in Thailand and a second tour in Vietnam. After the service, he moved back to Chilhowie and began working at Wilkinson Mill. He would then work another 22 years before finally retiring again at the age of 65. P.R. loved to fish, garden, and continue to follow all of Chilhowie sports. He was an avid supporter of his community. He was a lifetime member of the Francis Marion V.F.W. Post 4667. Most of all he enjoyed life and his family. He was a devoted father and grandfather, that always put his family first. P.R. was preceded in death by his parents, Paul Preston Gray and Ruby Duncan Wilkinson, and his wife, Virginia Painter Gray.
He is survived by his brother, John Melvin Gray and wife, Louise, of Marion; four children, Richard Gray and wife, Debra, of Chilhowie, James Gray and wife, Valerie, of Thompson's Station, Tenn., Donna Gray Shomaker and husband, David, of Wilkesboro, N.C., and Lee Gray of Wytheville; grandchildren, Jamie Gray and Ryan Gray, both of Bristol, Erica Waters and husband, Tommy, of Nolensville, Tenn., Hannah Harter and husband, Seth, of Spring Hill, Tenn., Preston Shomaker and wife, Logan, of North Wilkesboro, N.C., Calvin Shomaker of Jacksonville, N.C., and Gavin, Gage, and Gunner Gray, all of Wytheville; great-grandchildren, Miller Waters and Lochlan Shomaker; and other loving family and friends.
Graveside funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 2, 2021, at the St. James Lutheran Church Cemetery with the Rev. John Graham officiating. Full military honors will be rendered by the U.S. Shaw Air Force Base Honor Guard Team. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. on Friday evening, October 1, 2021, at Bradley's Funeral Chapel in Chilhowie. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.bradleysfh.com. Bradley's Funeral Chapel of Chilhowie is serving the Gray family.
Bradley's Funeral Chapel
P.R. was born in Chilhowie, Va., on August 25, 1929. He was a graduate of Chilhowie High School and was part of the first team in 1947 to be officially named the Chilhowie Warriors. P.R. played a role in helping give Chilhowie the Warriors name. He was a graduate of Hiwassee College, where he played for the college baseball team. P.R. joined the U.S. Air Force and served his country for 21 years, retiring as Master Sergeant. During his military career, he served one tour in Thailand and a second tour in Vietnam. After the service, he moved back to Chilhowie and began working at Wilkinson Mill. He would then work another 22 years before finally retiring again at the age of 65. P.R. loved to fish, garden, and continue to follow all of Chilhowie sports. He was an avid supporter of his community. He was a lifetime member of the Francis Marion V.F.W. Post 4667. Most of all he enjoyed life and his family. He was a devoted father and grandfather, that always put his family first. P.R. was preceded in death by his parents, Paul Preston Gray and Ruby Duncan Wilkinson, and his wife, Virginia Painter Gray.
He is survived by his brother, John Melvin Gray and wife, Louise, of Marion; four children, Richard Gray and wife, Debra, of Chilhowie, James Gray and wife, Valerie, of Thompson's Station, Tenn., Donna Gray Shomaker and husband, David, of Wilkesboro, N.C., and Lee Gray of Wytheville; grandchildren, Jamie Gray and Ryan Gray, both of Bristol, Erica Waters and husband, Tommy, of Nolensville, Tenn., Hannah Harter and husband, Seth, of Spring Hill, Tenn., Preston Shomaker and wife, Logan, of North Wilkesboro, N.C., Calvin Shomaker of Jacksonville, N.C., and Gavin, Gage, and Gunner Gray, all of Wytheville; great-grandchildren, Miller Waters and Lochlan Shomaker; and other loving family and friends.
Graveside funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 2, 2021, at the St. James Lutheran Church Cemetery with the Rev. John Graham officiating. Full military honors will be rendered by the U.S. Shaw Air Force Base Honor Guard Team. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. on Friday evening, October 1, 2021, at Bradley's Funeral Chapel in Chilhowie. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.bradleysfh.com. Bradley's Funeral Chapel of Chilhowie is serving the Gray family.
Bradley's Funeral Chapel
MSGT Paul Preston "P.R." Gray Jr., age 92, passed away on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at the Valley Healthcare Center in Chilhowie, Va.
P.R. was born in Chilhowie, Va., on August 25, 1929. He was a graduate of Chilhowie High School and was part of the first team in 1947 to be officially named the Chilhowie Warriors. P.R. played a role in helping give Chilhowie the Warriors name. He was a graduate of Hiwassee College, where he played for the college baseball team. P.R. joined the U.S. Air Force and served his country for 21 years, retiring as Master Sergeant. During his military career, he served one tour in Thailand and a second tour in Vietnam. After the service, he moved back to Chilhowie and began working at Wilkinson Mill. He would then work another 22 years before finally retiring again at the age of 65. P.R. loved to fish, garden, and continue to follow all of Chilhowie sports. He was an avid supporter of his community. He was a lifetime member of the Francis Marion V.F.W. Post 4667. Most of all he enjoyed life and his family. He was a devoted father and grandfather, that always put his family first. P.R. was preceded in death by his parents, Paul Preston Gray and Ruby Duncan Wilkinson, and his wife, Virginia Painter Gray.
He is survived by his brother, John Melvin Gray and wife, Louise, of Marion; four children, Richard Gray and wife, Debra, of Chilhowie, James Gray and wife, Valerie, of Thompson's Station, Tenn., Donna Gray Shomaker and husband, David, of Wilkesboro, N.C., and Lee Gray of Wytheville; grandchildren, Jamie Gray and Ryan Gray, both of Bristol, Erica Waters and husband, Tommy, of Nolensville, Tenn., Hannah Harter and husband, Seth, of Spring Hill, Tenn., Preston Shomaker and wife, Logan, of North Wilkesboro, N.C., Calvin Shomaker of Jacksonville, N.C., and Gavin, Gage, and Gunner Gray, all of Wytheville; great-grandchildren, Miller Waters and Lochlan Shomaker; and other loving family and friends.
Graveside funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 2, 2021, at the St. James Lutheran Church Cemetery with the Rev. John Graham officiating. Full military honors will be rendered by the U.S. Shaw Air Force Base Honor Guard Team. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. on Friday evening, October 1, 2021, at Bradley's Funeral Chapel in Chilhowie. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.bradleysfh.com. Bradley's Funeral Chapel of Chilhowie is serving the Gray family.
Bradley's Funeral Chapel
P.R. was born in Chilhowie, Va., on August 25, 1929. He was a graduate of Chilhowie High School and was part of the first team in 1947 to be officially named the Chilhowie Warriors. P.R. played a role in helping give Chilhowie the Warriors name. He was a graduate of Hiwassee College, where he played for the college baseball team. P.R. joined the U.S. Air Force and served his country for 21 years, retiring as Master Sergeant. During his military career, he served one tour in Thailand and a second tour in Vietnam. After the service, he moved back to Chilhowie and began working at Wilkinson Mill. He would then work another 22 years before finally retiring again at the age of 65. P.R. loved to fish, garden, and continue to follow all of Chilhowie sports. He was an avid supporter of his community. He was a lifetime member of the Francis Marion V.F.W. Post 4667. Most of all he enjoyed life and his family. He was a devoted father and grandfather, that always put his family first. P.R. was preceded in death by his parents, Paul Preston Gray and Ruby Duncan Wilkinson, and his wife, Virginia Painter Gray.
He is survived by his brother, John Melvin Gray and wife, Louise, of Marion; four children, Richard Gray and wife, Debra, of Chilhowie, James Gray and wife, Valerie, of Thompson's Station, Tenn., Donna Gray Shomaker and husband, David, of Wilkesboro, N.C., and Lee Gray of Wytheville; grandchildren, Jamie Gray and Ryan Gray, both of Bristol, Erica Waters and husband, Tommy, of Nolensville, Tenn., Hannah Harter and husband, Seth, of Spring Hill, Tenn., Preston Shomaker and wife, Logan, of North Wilkesboro, N.C., Calvin Shomaker of Jacksonville, N.C., and Gavin, Gage, and Gunner Gray, all of Wytheville; great-grandchildren, Miller Waters and Lochlan Shomaker; and other loving family and friends.
Graveside funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 2, 2021, at the St. James Lutheran Church Cemetery with the Rev. John Graham officiating. Full military honors will be rendered by the U.S. Shaw Air Force Base Honor Guard Team. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. on Friday evening, October 1, 2021, at Bradley's Funeral Chapel in Chilhowie. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.bradleysfh.com. Bradley's Funeral Chapel of Chilhowie is serving the Gray family.
Bradley's Funeral Chapel
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
