Joanna Marie Gray-Friedman of Alabaster, AL passed away Sunday morning, August 2, 2020, after a courageous battle with metastatic breast cancer. Joanna was born in Birmingham, AL on January 16, 1960. She graduated from Berry High School, attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and graduated from Ashford University with a degree in accounting. She was proceeded in death by her mother Joan I. Gray of Birmingham and her “Grandma” Lizzie G. Curtis of Birmingham. She is survived by her beloved and devoted husband Mike Friedman of Alabaster, AL, father John R. Gray, Sr. (Helgard) of Seattle, WA, brothers John R. “Joel” Gray, Jr. (Eve) of Lincoln, AL and Jordan L. Gray (Kathy) of Birmingham, AL, nephew “Sonny” Gray (Jenny) of Birmingham, niece Leigh McKibben (Ken) of Ashville, AL, nephew Holt Gray (Laura) of Birmingham, niece Amanda Drerup (Andrew) of Grand Rapids, MI, and three great-nephews and seven great-nieces. Joanna is also survived by stepchildren Jennifer Friedman (Janna) of Odenville, AL, Stephanie Simpkins (Rodney) of Pell City, AL, and Robert Friedman of Pell City, AL, and two step-grandsons.
Joanna was employed as comptroller and human resources director for Energy Systems Southeast, LLC. She was also very active in her Pelham, AL home group of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for many years where she made many, many close and dear friends. Those friends are too numerous to name but each know how special they were to Joanna's heart. Joanna's amazing story was an inspiration to everyone, not only members of AA, but also to everyone she met. Her accomplishments during her almost 17 years of sobriety were the demonstration of success to which AA members aspire.
Everyone who met Joanna was taken by her kindness and outgoing personality. Knowing her was a joy to so many people. She was a beautiful woman with an even more beautiful soul who loved and trusted Jesus as her Savior, and loved family, friends, and animals. She will be greatly missed by many including her “fur babies” Bella and BeBe.
We would like to thank Hospice Service of Alabama for their compassionate care over the last few weeks. Their administrative staff and those we were blessed to meet were angels during a very difficult time. Those who were especially appreciated (in alphabetical order) include Andrea, Betty, Jasmine, Karen, Kori, Leigh Ann and Lori.
Friends are invited to attend a visitation from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM with funeral service from 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at Johns-Ridout's Mortuary-Elmwood Chapel in Birmingham, AL. Burial to follow at Elmwood Cemetery. Due to Covid 19 masks and social distancing will be required.
The family requests in lieu of flowers please send memorial contributions to the the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the American Society for the Prevention and Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Shelby Humane, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.johnsridoutselmwoodchapel.com for the Gray-Friedman family.
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