A funeral service for Jack Alton Gray will be held Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 3:00p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Marshall, Texas. Interment will be held at Colonial Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00p.m. Friday, August 24, 2018 at Downs Funeral Home in Marshall, Texas.

Jack Alton Gray was born in the piney woods of Shelbyville, Texas on November 29, 1932, and passed away on August 22, 2018 in Marshall, Texas. He graduated from Marshall High School in 1951 where he was an athlete on both the baseball and football team. Jack served his country in the United States Army from 1953-1955. During that time he was stationed in Verdun, France, where he met his loving wife Marie-Ange "Mimi" Francois Gray. They were married and moved to Shreveport, Louisiana where he finished college at Centenary College. Jack was a teacher and a coach in Bossier Parish and Lincoln Parish Schools. During his time as the head coach at Airline High School, the football team won the state championship in 1967 and played in the finals for the state championship again in 1972. After a career in Louisiana, Jack and his family moved back to Marshall where he continued to coach for another 5 years prior to becoming the athletic director and a school administrator. Throughout his career Jack was a well-loved and respected football coach and received the following recognitions: 1967 Louisiana High School Football Coach of the Year, 1972 Louisiana District I-AAAA Coach of the Year, Texas District 14-AAAA Coach of the Year in 1975 and 1979. He retired as the Assistant Superintendent for the public school system in 1997 and became the Headmaster of Trinity Episcopal School for the next two years before retiring again. After retirement, Jack spent countless hours volunteering his time delivering meals for "meals on wheels" and was an active member on the board of directors at the Humane Society. His grandchildren loved to hear he and his brother Bill tell stories about their childhood and about life growing up during the Great Depression. He always made his grandchildren and others around him feel very loved with his gentle, kind, and compassionate spirit. He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Marshall, Texas.

Left to cherish Jack's memory is: his wife, Mimi Gray, of Marshall, Texas; his brother, Bill Gray and his children of Bossier City, Louisiana; his son, Gary Gray and wife Robin of Farmerville, Louisiana; his grandchildren, Jack Gray and wife Jennifer of Ruston, Louisiana; Jessie Bryan and husband TJ of Simsboro, Louisiana; Jordan Gray of Ruston, Louisiana; Wesley Gray of Farmerville, Louisiana; & great grandchildren: Madison Bryan, Eli Gray, Will Gray, & Lily Grace Bryan; and his special friends from his weekly "lunch group." Jack is preceded in death by his parents James Edward Gray and Lottie Nora Cagle Gray; and son Jon Francois Gray.

Honoring Jack as pallbearers are his grandsons: Jack Gray, Jordan Gray, Wesley Gray, and TJ Bryan, and special friends: Jared Seal and Justin Seal.

The family offers very special and heartfelt thanks for the excellent care, love, and concern of Jack to the staff of Marshall Manor.

In lieu of flowers the family request that anyone interested may contribute donations to Harrison County Humane Society.