Charles E. "Charlie" Gray

Charles "Charlie" Gray, 77, of Tallahassee, passed away Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 11:45 p.m. EDT at Shands Burns Critical Care Unit in Gainesville, Fla. Family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. EDT Thursday, July 22, 2010, at Culley's MeadowWood Riggins Road Funeral Home. Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. EDT Friday, July 23, 2010, at Trinity United Methodist Church on Park Avenue in Tallahassee, with burial to follow in Culley's MeadowWood Memorial Park. Memorials May be made to the PLS Foundation in Charlie's memory.

He is survived by his wife of 57 yrs, June Peel Gray; two daughters, Pamela G. Nobles (Tommy), of Eastpoint, Fla., and Cindy Gray of Tallahassee, Fla.; one brother, Samuel (Sammy) Gray, Jr. (Mary) of Donalsonville, Ga.; and several nieces and nephews.

Charlie was born October 19, 1932 and raised in Dothan, Ala. He attended Chipola Jr. College in Marianna, FL on a Football/Baseball Scholarship from 1951 - 1953 and then was drafted and served in the U. S. Army from July, 1953 until 1955. Charlie retired from the Fla. Dept. of Insurance in 1995 with 31 yrs. of experience, working under 6 different Insurance Commissioner's and rising to be a Bureau Chief of Surplus Lines with a staff of 65. Charlie was diagnosed with PLS disease in 2001 and had been a patient at Shands Neurology Hospital in Gainesville, Fl for 9 yrs. One of his favorite Insurance Commissioner's was Bill Gunter, whom he admired so highly while working at the insurance department. After he retired, he was an insurance consultant at his home and was very instrumental in the big "Enron Case". Three of Charlie's highlights in his daily life, were enjoying being with his 2 loving daughters, Pam and Cindy and he especially loved playing cards with his "buddies" every Monday and Friday afternoons. He officially formed and named the club the "Grumpy Ole Men's Poker Club" and had just finished playing cards at his home on the day he was injured. He also was so proud and happy to be able to attend the FSU football games in his wheelchair as he could no longer get up the steps to our booster seats, due to his condition. Coach Bobby Bowden and his wife Ann, invited Charlie to sit in their sky box for 6 yrs due to his condition and he just loved being able to see the games like he use to and he especially loved Diane and Coach Andrews as they both loved eating tomatoes and drinking "sweet tea" all the time, since they were both "good ole Alabama boys".

Charlie was critically burned June 7, 2010 outside his home in Tallahassee, Fla., and was flown to Shands Burn Critical Care Unit June 7th where he stayed until he passed away. He was so loved by everyone and he loved having all of his friends and insurance "buddies" come by to see him since he had been ill with PLS. Family and friends are invited to June and Charlie's home at 2380 Wintergreen Rd. in Tallahassee, Fla., after the funeral to visit and also - please take time out to visit his guest book on-line or e-mail: [email protected], Pam Nobles at: [email protected] or Cindy Gray at: [email protected]

Arrangements are under the direction of Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home, Tallahassee, FL.