Esther Gray

Mrs. Esther T. Gray was born the last child of 10 children of the late George W. and Olivia Baker Thorpe. She departed this life on October 20, 2022 at home in Laurel, Maryland. She was born in Edgecombe County where she grew up and attended public schools, including W.A. Patillo High School, Tarboro, N.C. She graduated from G.W. Carver High School, Pinetops, N.C. in 1952. She later attended A&T University. During her life, she belonged to Bible Way Temple in Washington, D.C. where she was blessed with spiritual guidance as she navigated single motherhood to six children. For thirty plus years, she worked as a clerk typist at D.C. General Hospital, Washington, DC. After moving to Rocky Mount, NC., she and her young family attended St. James Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her beloved nine siblings. She leaves other loved ones with precious memories including sons Bryant Vinson (Valerie), William Kenneth Gray (Virginia), Isaac Gray, Douglas Lee Gray (Yeamattie), Ronald Howard Gray (Jeannine) and daughter Juanita Sandra Gray Bartlett (Scott), several grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.