Margaret Ewing Gray

Margaret Ewing Gray passed away on Friday, January 20, 2023, at the age of 85. Margaret’s beloved

husband of 65 years, Stanley, passed away almost two years before on March 12, 2021. Margaret was

born February 23, 1937 and was the youngest of the three children born to Charles Ruel Ewing, Sr.,

and Carrie Juanita Ewing, née Dotherow, in Brooksville, Mississippi. Her two brothers, Ruel Ewing,

Jr., and William Ewing, preceded her in death.

Margaret attended what is now called Mississippi University for Women and Mississippi State

University. In 1956, Margaret married Stanley Gray of Crawford, Mississippi, and together, they

opened Dixie Farm Supply in Brooksville. Margaret loved gardening and always surrounded her home

with beautiful flowers and greenery and was an active member of Noxubee County Garden Club for

years. Throughout their married life they enjoyed traveling, snow skiing, Mississippi State University

Bulldogs, and especially, their children and grandchildren, and a large group of family and friends.

Margaret was a member of the Brooksville Cumberland Presbyterian Church from birth. She and

Stanley were both active members in the church, serving as teacher, elder, and treasurer. Margaret was

a gifted musician and was the church’s pianist and organist until the church closed in 2014, at which

time she and Stanley became members of McLeod Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Macon.

Margaret resided at her home in Brooksville with Stanley until they retired to Trinity Place Retirement

Community in Columbus, Mississippi, in 2020.

Margaret is survived by her three children: Randy Gray (Debby), an engineer in Columbus; Melinda

Lucas (Alan), a dentist in Hattiesburg; and Billy, a dentist in Starkville. She has four grandchildren:

Brandy Gray Lewis, Carrie Gray Shaw, Meredith Lucas Parker, and Elizabeth Lucas Jones, and three

great-grandchildren: Seeley Margaret Lewis, Azalea Gray Lewis, and Gray Taylor Parker. All her

grandchildren lovingly referred to her as “Mimi”.

Margaret’s family will have a Celebration of Life sometime in the Spring where she can be surrounded

by flowers at her childhood home lovingly called “The White House”. In lieu of flowers, people

wishing to honor Margaret are asked to contribute to the Stanley and Margaret Gray Endowed

Scholarship, Fund #501696. Memorial donations may be given online at msufoundation.com or by

sending checks to: MSU Foundation, PO Box 6149, Mississippi State, MS 39762, with a memo in the

check for Fund #501696.