Wanza Gray

With hearts full of love and gratitude for her lifetime of faithful service to the Lord, we announce the passing of Wanza L Gray, who was welcomed into her eternal home on March 20, 2025 at Dogwood Assisted Living, Corinth, MS, surrounded by her loving family.

Born on March 22, 1932, in Corinth, MS, to the late William Prentiss Johnson and Leta Nelle Dickey Johnson, Wanza attended Corinth Schools and met the love of her life, C. F. Gray, whom she married on March 11, 1949. She unfailingly described C. F. as the best man that ever lived. Together, they created a loving family and welcomed a beautiful and intelligent daughter, Frankie. They built their always-immaculate home on West Clover Lane.

Being a mother and homemaker was Wanza’s dream job. However, life destined her to be a businesswoman too when C F asked her to help him for “about six months” while they got their new business, Gray’s Meat Market, off the ground. Six months became 44 years, as she worked side by side with him at the Market on Waldron Street where she took care of the books and waited on their loyal customers who would still meet and greet her long after the Market closed in 2002. When their daughter’s life was cut short by cancer, they also lovingly helped raise their two grandchildren, Gray and Follin. She could not have loved them more had they been her own children.

Throughout her life, Wanza could be found baking and taking food to those in need, including her famous chocolate pies, to neighbors, friends, relatives, and even businesses that had been of help to her in some way. She was the first person to assist when anyone was sick, often nursing them back to health or meeting other daily needs, even to the end of life. Wanza’s own life was full with many friends, a large extended family, and the friends of her faith at Northside Church of Christ.

Wanza was welcomed home by her parents, husband, daughter, and other relatives, including her beloved brothers and sister, Max Johnson, Bud Johnson, Manelle Blackwood, and cousins Nelda Parish and Sonny Boatman.

Those she leaves behind include her grandson, Gray Childs, and family; granddaughter, Follin Clark, and family; as well as numerous cousins, other family members, and friends.

Visitation will be held at Memorial Funeral Home on Saturday March 22 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, with the celebration of life service at 2:00 PM. The family invites those present to share refreshments in the adjacent parlor to the visitation room in a joint celebration of Wanza’s home-going and her 93rd birthday.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Burial will be at Dogwood Cemetery, Kendrick Road, Corinth, MS.

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