Beatrice Carol Gray

Beatrice Carol Baughn Gray; passed away peacefully March 9^th, 2023. 

She was eighty-eight years young.

She was born in Plymouth September 29^th, 1934. 

She lived in the Plymouth area her entire life.

She was married to Doyal Lee Gray (2001), Obion County Tennessee.

She is survived by her Children Cathy St Charles (Mark St Charles) and Gary Lee Gray (Kathryn Gray); She was blessed with grandchildren and great grandchildren; grandchildren Brad Fuson (Daina Fuson), Matthew Lee Gray (Victoria Lyons), Wyatt Andrew Gray (Jessica Gray), and Mallory Angela Gray (Phillip Montiegel); and her great grandchildren Magnus Fuson, Ziema Fuson, Jackson Gary Gray, Walker Lee Gray, Brooks Andrew Gray, and arriving soon Savannah Beatrice Gray.

These were her light, her love, and her passion.  She was impactful and played a significant role in their lives as they did hers.  She was always engaged as a beacon of family strength, as an unconditional loving mentor, the keeper of family traditions and oral histories, and as an affectionate caregiver. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren in return each provided her the same unconditional love, laughter, and she shared in their lives as they shared in hers. Her legacy of love, of life’s lessons, and her unique perspectives of life will continue to live on through each of them.

Her other passion was that of Plymouth, Michigan.  This was more than a passion it was her family.  She was born when Plymouth was a very small community.  Her father ran a small florist in Plymouth near the corner of Main and Penniman called Rosebud’s.  Her mother immigrated the United States from Canada and work various occupations including the Mayflower Hotel.  Plymouth itself became a surrogate family to her and her mother when her father died when she was only 7 years old.  Her young mother then widowed and with a young child opened a boarding house and took in roomers that would find employment at many related automotive factories.  They were two very independent minded women that depended and relied on each other.  This hardship and lifestyle led to her own strong independent personality and her unique self-reliant confidences.  Characteristics that she has passed down through her children, her grandchildren, and her great grandchildren.  These lessons will continue to be passed on to future generations.

She was very kind, forgiving, and generous but could at times be described as fierce.  She was loyal.  She was gregarious with a dry sense of humor.  She was a very social person.  She held her children accountable to high standards of humanity, generosity, and kindness.  She expected self-reliance, independence, and common-sense from her family and friends.   She was fearless in her defense of her children, her grandchildren, and her great grandchildren.  She never relinquished her role as their advisor or confidant. She became close to the spouses of her children and her children’s children.  She was lovingly engaged and genuine at all levels.

She met her future husband Doyal Lee Gray in Plymouth.  He moved to Michigan to find work in the factories after serving his country during Korean War.  After the service they began their life as a married couple together in Plymouth and started their family in Plymouth.  She was employed by Burroughs for many years in which was located in Plymouth, and her husband was an Ironworker out of Local 25 in Detroit.  After she and her husband Doyal had both retired to their current home in Plymouth this is where she began a new chapter of her life through volunteerism work in the Plymouth community.  She became a fixture with the Plymouth Flower and Garden Club which managed many of the horticultural activities in Plymouth’s well know parks and flower beds located throughout the city.  From event planning (Spring, Summer, Fall Festivals, and seasonal planting) to the actual field work where she was a constant presence at many of the sites around the city.  She was fiercely proud of the work they did and of the awards they achieved.

She was a diehard Detroit Tigers fan and relished the 1968 world series championship which the decorations have stayed up to this very day (she may have added a few in 1984).  Her favorite Tigers were Mickey Lolich, Al Kaline, Willie Horton, and her all-time favorite was Kirk Gibson.  She also loved the Detroit Redwings her favorite player was Red Kelly with Gordie Howe and Stevie Yzerman both a close second. 

She never forgot her Canadian heritage and remained lovingly close to her mother’s family the O’Donnell’s and especially close to her mother’s younger sister Beatrice (her namesake) Prout.  Beatrice Baughn moved freely between her home in Plymouth and her second home with her Aunt Bea in Forest, Ontario.  The Prout’s have remained a close loving integral part of her life to this day.  Her mother, Angelia Cecilla Baughn, was buried with her Canadian family in Forest, Ontario.   Beatrice will be interned at Riverside Cemetery in Plymouth where she will be reunited with Husband Doyal who lays in wait.  

She loved her family, she loved Plymouth, and she loved being a political activist for change.  She worked as a volunteer for political campaigns for John F. Kennedy, G Mennen Williams, William Milliken, was huge supporter of Gerald Ford, and Barack Obama.  Her hope for a female president has yet to be recognized.

Donations are welcomed to Wounded Warrior in the name of Beatrice Gray.

She was loved and will be dearly missed by all. 

Life Gives Love

“Mom, you gave us life and you gave us love. 

God blessed us that we could give you grandchildren to love;

and that they could give you great grandchildren to love as well.

Then you gave them all love and they all gave you life.

Love gives Life.

Forever We Love You and We Miss You.”

Forever Your Family…

Author: gray