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Maisy Olena Gray, 85

Maisy Olena Gray, age 85, of the Palace Care & Rehab and formerly of Lafayette, Tenn., passed away July 29, 2009, at the Macon County General Hospital. Funeral services were conducted Sat., Aug. 1, 2009 from the Alexander Funeral Home Chapel with Elder J. E. Shoulders officiating. Gale Smith, Byron Hatcher, Jimmie Halliburton, James Smalling, Terry Doss, and Alan Miller served as pallbearers. Interment followed in the Jenkins Cemetery.

Maisy Olean Gray was born on Oct.25, 1923 in Macon County, Tenn., to the late James Leslie, known as Les, and Bertha E. Lee Halliburton. She was married to Samuel Gray in 1953, they lived in Ind. and shared twenty-six wonderful years together, Samuel preceded her in death on Oct. 5, 1979. Besides her husband and parents; two brothers, Calvin Halliburton and Louie Halliburton, and a sister, Jewel Kelley, also preceded her in death. Maisy was a homemaker and enjoyed babysitting; she kept many children over the years and some would stay the whole week. She worked as manager for Kentucky Fried Chicken for a few years. After the passing of her husband, she returned back to Lafayette and lived with her parents. Maisy and her dad would raise big gardens and take the produce to the Farmers Market where they enjoyed talking and making friends with their customers. Maisy was a gentle and kind hearted woman, tho being crippled herself; it was not an issue that stood in her way. She loved helping others whenever she could. She enjoyed quilting and gave away many to help raise money for benefits. Maisy collected dolls and her room at the Palace Nursing Home was called “The Doll House”.  She was grateful for the dolls people gave her for different occasions and couldn’t wait to get them displayed in her room; she could tell you who got each doll for her.  She had a book on a table in her room and if you went in her room you had to sign it; that way she could keep a record of who had come to see her. It thrilled her to have company to come and spend time with her. Maisy would walk around the nursing home and could tell you how many feet she had walked at the end of the day. She liked to meet the new residents thus playing a big part as an Ambassador for the nursing home; she even received a plaque from the nursing home for doing so. She would tell everyone that The Palace was her home. Maisy was saved at an early age and joined the Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church were she remained a dedicated member until her health began to fail her. She enjoyed her gospel music; bringing her tape recorder to the singings and sitting up front so she could record the service. Maisy was loved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed by family and friends. She is lovingly survived by; brother, James E. (Linda) Halliburton, sisters, Vevie Smith, Elease (Carlos) Gammon all of Indiana, Remona (James) Hatcher, Vondal (Darrell) Doss, Hazel (James) Smalling, all of Lafayette, TN, and several nieces and nephews.