David B. Gray

David Gray, 58, a resident of Delano, passed away Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at the family residence.

He was a member of Old Salem Baptist Church in Delano. He was a current member of the Etowah Chamber of Commerce and the Columbus GA Chamber of Commerce and a past member of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. He was a graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan College where he received a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree and employed with Weyerhaeuser Company as general manager and was well respected in his field.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ervin Taft Gray, sister, Patricia Watson and brother, Jesse Gray.

He is survived by his wife, Darlyn Gray of Delano; mother, Gladys Carter Gray; daughter, Leah Nichole Tavernese and husband, Ryan and one grandchild, Johnny Tavernese all of Delano; brother, Donald Gray and wife, Nell and Virgil Gray all of Auburndale, FL and Terry Gray of Albuquerque, NM; sisters: Shirley Gray, Sylvia Grenier and husband, David and Janice Lambert and husband, Robert of Winter Haven, FL and Cathy Harless of Lakeland, FL; mother-in-law, Adelle Anderson (The Big Rabbit), brothers-in-law: Charles Goulden and wife, Frances, the Reverend Gilbert Witcher and wife, Cynthia. Delbert Smith; sisters-in-law: Jeannie Godwin and husband, Walter, Catrina Dove and husband, Daniel and Marguerite Waters and husband, Doyle and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 24, 2009 in Old Salem Baptist Church in Delano with the Reverend Joe Davis officiating. Interment will follow at Old Salem Church Cemetery with Tim Jones, Don Pike, Gary Nelson, Robert Presswood, Charles Goulden, Ryan Tavernese and Larry Davis serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be David Crisp and Dick Fornier. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service.

His family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Friday at Higgins Funeral Home and from 1-2 p.m. Saturday at the church prior to the service.

Memorials may be made to Old Salem Baptist Church, c/o Larry G. Davis, Church Treasurer 1994 Columbus Rd, Delano, TN 37325.

We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Gray family guestbook at www.higginsfuneral.com.