FRED M. GRAY

Fred McCoy Gray, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of St. Louis, Mo., and Sumter, died Sunday, Jan. 29, 2006, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Poplar Bluff.

Mr. Gray was born Sept. 19, 1921, in Butler County, Mo. In 1929, he moved with his family to Sumter, graduating from high school there in 1940. He retired in 1981 as an ironworker with the G.L. Tarlton Co. in St. Louis. Mr. Gray was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy, having survived the explosion while on the USS Yorktown CV-10 in Iwo Jima.

On Dec. 30, 1960, he married Myrel Coleman. She preceded him in death on Aug. 25, 1997.

Survivors include his daughter, Brenda Morris, and husband, Denver, of St. Louis; one granddaughter, Tina Burmeister and husband, Ron, of St. Louis; two great-grandchildren, Holly Burmeister and Adam Burmeister, both of St. Louis; one niece, Donna Davis; two nephews, Carl Phillip Gray and Chan Gray; and a number of other great-nephews, nieces and friends.

His parents, Fred W. and Anna Gladis (Parsley) Gray; a sister, Gilda Lewis; and one brother, Donald Gray, preceded him in death.

The funeral service was Thursday, Feb. 2, at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. Burial was at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Poplar Bluff.