Carolyn Sue (Parsons) Gray

Carolyn Sue Parsons Gray, faithful wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, and avid cat lover, 83, went to be with her Lord Jesus on January 3, 2024, after a sudden decline in her health. Sue was born on June 19, 1940, near Winfield, in Putnam County, West Virginia, the fifth child of Wilbur and Mona Groves Parsons.

Sue and Don met in Texas City. Being captivated by her beauty, Don chased her to a local grocery store where she was traveling to purchase a Sunday newspaper for her father. Sue, being familiar with the back roads in the city, managed to allude to him until they met moments later at Chief’s Grocery Store, a place where Sue worked as a cashier. The couple eventually wed on April 19, 1958, and settled in Pasadena at their current residence in September of 1959 with their 1st son of six months.

Sue's father landed a job with Union Carbide in Charleston, West Virginia, located on Blaine Island. Soon afterward, her father was transferred, and the family relocated to Texas City, Texas, when Sue was just twelve years of age. She became a cheerleader in junior high school and even won the contest to name her school's mascot. She graduated from Texas City High School in May of 1958.

Sue was gifted with many things. Not only did she help her sister, Rose, start a children's nursery business, but Cloth World Fabric Store employed her as an expert seamstress creating store displays. Her most significant project was creating a men's suit from scratch. It was flawless! She became a tailor and seamstress for several ladies who needed specially fitted clothing. Additionally, she made hundreds of pumpkin head dolls for Halloween that Don sold at NASA, a pattern she also made from scratch. Sue made every event, whether a birthday or holiday, like Christmas, extraordinary with her gift of hospitality and immense generosity. There wasn't anything she could not do once she put her mind to it

Sue was well in front of financial gurus like Dave Ramsey because, from the beginning, she used an "envelope system" to manage the family's finances precisely and was still doing so until her passing. She was meticulous with details, especially financial details.

On April 28, 1968, Sue, her husband Don, sister Jenny, and brother-in-law Gene Lunday were baptized and gave their lives to Christ. During the family's membership at Central Baptist Church, Sue was a great Children's Sunday School Teacher and served in various ways in the nursery and on the hospitality committee, to name a few. She loved to cook for her friends and family. She hosted many meals at her home and continued to love and serve others until the end of her life. Sue was loved and will be greatly missed by all who encountered her.

Sue is preceded in death by her parents, Wilbur and Mona Groves Parsons, brother B.J. Parsons, sister and brother-in-law Jenny and Gene Lunday, sister-in-law Pat Parsons, brother-in-law T.A. Starrett, and nephews Ronnie Lunday, Steven Lunday,Terry Parsons, Michael Parsons, and David Starrett.

She leaves behind her faithful and loving husband of 65 years, Don Gray, sons Scott Gray and wife Fara Gray, Randy Gray and wife Debbie Gray, sister Rose Starrett, and brother Dutch Parsons. She also leaves behind her grandchildren, Brad Gray and his wife Caroline (and their children, great-grandsons Wallace and Hogan Gray), Collin Gray, Justin Gray and his wife Koryne (and their children, great-grandson Camden and great-granddaughters Addison and Aleigh Sutton Gray due in February), and Madison Gray, along with many nieces and nephews and countless friends, including Laverne Brown who she referred to as the "daughter she never had."

Sue's Celebration of Life Service/Visitation will be held Saturday, January 13, 2024, from 10 am to 12 pm at Pasadena Funeral Home at 2203 Pasadena Boulevard, Pasadena, Texas 77502. Visitation will take place from 10 am to 11:30 am, with a short service immediately following.