Wardell Gray


On Saturday, January 13, 2018, God called a faithful servant home.  Mr. Wardell Gray passed away quietly at Asbury Place in Hattiesburg, MS.  He was a beloved husband, father, brother, great-great grand father, grandfather, and uncle as well as friend to many.

Wardell Gray was born June 30, 1917 as the eldest son and first of two sons of Mr. Will gray and Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Otis Gray in Carson, MS.  There was an older sister, Willa Mae, the first born who died of lockjaw at the age of 10.  The year he was born, his father was a Foreman with the Illinois Central Railroad, and they lived for a number of years in Sumrall, MS where his parents operated a boarding house4 for the other men who worked under his father.  Gray was exposed to hard work in the area of farming and business at an early age.  Upon their return to Jefferson Davis County, his mother was the teacher in a one-room schoolhouse on the grounds of the Hollisday Creek M.B. Church.  Since there was no school for blacks, he completed an 8th Gray education and continued his high school education at Prentiss Institute Junior College.   He was a good student and an awesome athlete  as a baseball pitcher wih one of the teams in the Old Negro League.  His father Will Gray passed away at the age of 110 years of age and his mother Mary at age 97.

Gray was drafted in the U.S. Army on November 19, 1941, and fought in World War II.  He received the American Defense Service Medal, ATO Medal, Good Condition Medal, Meritorious Unit Award and the World War II Victory Medal.  He returned back to his home from the Army on October 31, 1945.

Upon his return he met and married the love of his life, Quillie Ross Gray, a graduate of Jackson State University with continued studies at Indiana University for a Master's Degree.  He was one of the first blacks to open a diary during the late 40s and with the help of his uncle, Dr. J.R. Otis, president of Alcorn College, had students come to do internships at the farm.  The Research Division of Agriculture, part of the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian recorded extensive interviews with Gray.

Gray was an avid and ardent supporter of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.  In 1959 he was the first black candidate to run for any type public office in Jefferson Davis County.  He would later run for Election Commissioner and became President of the Jefferson Davis Chapter of the NAACP in 1959, remaining in office until 1974.Gray worked tirelessly with other civil rights activist such as Medgar and Charles Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rev. Darby, Dr. Aaron Henry, his cousin, Charles Young and many other unsung activists.

As a member of Blackmon Temple CME Church, Gray combined his love of God, education and children.  During the Civil Rights Movement meetings of the NAACP, MS Freedom Democratic Party, MS Action for Progress were held at churches throughout the state.  He along with Mr. N.J. Booth were instrumental in acquiring the land for the first black school in Jefferson Davis County, Carver High.

Volumes of literature could be written to commemorate the countless number of lives he touched by providing encouragement, counsel, empowerment and care for others.

He leaves to cherish his memory his children;  Dr. Pene Gray Woods (Curtis) of Cordova, TN; Joseph Willie (Sheryl) Gray of Hattiesburg, MS, an adopted son Charles (Linda) Harper of Bassfield, MS; grandchildren Christopher (Lynsi) and Dominic, Joseph Jr., Jayla, Kyle Meyers, Joseph and Ashley Smith; great-grandchildren, Caitlyn, Chris II, Dominic II.