JOE GRAY

On the 20th day of June 1949, in New Orleans, LA Joe Nathan Gray, Sr. was born to the late Jimmy and Louise Hall Gray. He was the third of nine amazing children raised in a Christian household.

Joe, Sr. grew up in the 7th Ward area of New Orleans and went to Orleans Parish Schools. He was a member of St. John #5 where he was baptized at an early age by the late Harry Bray. He later joined Pentecost Baptist Church where the late Rev. Charles B. Winslow was the pastor. Upon leaving high school, he served in the United States Army where he enlisted in 1967. After returning from Vietnam, he began his career working on the New Orleans Riverfront, the New Orleans Race Track/Fairgrounds, and in Construction. He had five beautiful children: La Twila Gray (New Orleans, LA), Treva Gray Jones (Atlanta, GA), Kenyatta Gray, Joe Nathan Gray, Jr. and Norvin Stewart (all of New Orleans, LA).

Joe, Sr. went on to find his true and forever love; his wife and best friend of 23 years, Delores Tickles Gray. This couple was together through lots of love, laughter, and cute little disputes. Joe, Sr. and Delores relocated from New Orleans, LA to Dallas, TX as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Delores totally cared about him and he 100% cared about her. He was a devoted family man and father of their children through marriage: Lillie Harvey Collin (Hutto, TX), Dewitt Tickles, Jr., Ieisha Tickles, Anthony Snowton, Oliver Snowton, and Estoria Snowton (all of Dallas, TX).

On June 1, 2021, our Lord and Savior called Joe, Sr. home to join his family in heaven. He was reunited with father and mother: the late Jimmy, Sr. and Louise Gray, his brothers the late Jimmie, Jr. “Pie”, Clifton “Moon”, Curtis, Stanley and Andre Gray; and his late son through marriage Marshall Tickles. He was also preceded in death by his devoted grandparents Mary Jane Robertson (grandpa Jimmy’s mother), Eugene Hall and Viola Kelly Hall (Grandma Louise’s parents).

He leaves to Cherish is devoted wife, Delores, his children, 44 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren: sister, Patricia Gray, brother Don Gray, and youngest sister, Sheryl Gray Bradstreet (all of New Orleans, LA), uncle Willie Washington, Jr. and aunt Juanita Brown and a host of aunts, uncles, in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.