Ouida C Gray

Ouida C. Gray of Haines City, FL, was born in Jackson, Mississippi and passed away on Saturday, July 14, 2018. Mrs. Gray was 91 years old and born on October 17, 1926. She is survived by her sons, Charles O. Gray, Jr. (wife, Laurie) and Robert C. Gray (wife, Sondra); and her grandchildren, Ian, Alex, Rebecca, Martha, Luke, and Mitchell; her sister, Barbara Lamey; her beloved cat, Misty; and many nieces and nephews. Mrs. Gray is preceded in death by her loving husband of 44 years, Charles O. Gray; her sisters, Patsy and Undine; and her brother, Otto. Charles passed away during an elective heart surgery on June 5, 1999 at age 67. Mrs. Gray enjoyed a wonderful 51-year working career in Fashion, Sales, Retail Buyer, Management, Consultant Work and eventually served as Executive Director of two Chamber of Commerces (Brandon and Haines City, FL). Mrs. Gray graduated from high school in Mobile, Alabama in 1944. While still in Alabama, she worked for the Mobile Gas Company and Harry Frielanders Boutique. She moved to Little Rock, Arkansas in order to manage the Robert Hall Clothing store. Mrs. Gray worked in management in Mississippi at Lerner Shops; Emporium Fashions and Fine Brothers Matison. She was later a store manager in New Orleans, Louisiana selling millinery for Consolidated Millinery Company. Mrs. Gray moved to Florida in 1962 with her husband. She managed Maas Brothers Department Stores in St. Petersburg, Tampa and Lakeland, FL. Once in Florida, Mrs. Gray spent a number of years as a buyer for O. Falks Department Store in Tampa. In 1968, she opened her own ladies dress shop in Brandon, FL and named it "Ouija Shop". She eventually owned and operated several other fashion boutiques in Hillsborough County. She sold the Ouija Shop in 1980 and began her dedicated career in community volunteerism and Executive Director of the Brandon Chamber Of Commerce in Brandon, Florida. While Executive Director in Brandon, Mrs. Gray spent countless hours volunteering and was bestowed many honors and awards including, but not limited to, Key Citizen Award (1979) and Brandon News Woman of the Year (1979). She will be remembered as a community activist who believed that citizens owed a duty to the community to participate at all levelsCivic and Business. She firmly believed that "one person can make a difference" and nothing compares to the personal satisfaction of volunteer work. Her volunteerism led to an impressive record of civic involvement such as: Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Brandon Community Hospital; Board Director of Brandon Cultural Center; Chairman of the Brandon Merchant Association; Brandon News "Woman of the Year" and "Key Citizen Award" recipient. Mrs. Gray "tried" retirement and moved to Lake Hatchineha in Haines City, FL where she perfected her skills as an accomplished bass fisherman. However, the desire to contribute continued and she soon became the Executive Director of the Haines City Chamber of Commerce in Haines City, FL. Once again, her commitment to volunteerism and community earned her many accolades including Citizen of the Year (1994) and a Haines City Proclamation identifying May 18, 1993 as "Ouida Gray Day". Mrs. Gray lived a long and wonderful life filled with many friends. In her final years, tremendous love and support was expressed to her in countless unselfish ways with special thanks and appreciation for the kind deeds of Don Davis; Vicky Holloway, Joy Sims, Beverly King and Betty Callin. Not a day went by that Mrs. Gray didn't express to her family the great love she had for these friends that helped her so unconditionally. A Visitation will be held on Friday, July 20, 2018 from 10:30 am followed by a Funeral Service at 11:00 am all at Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Haines City, FL. Interment will be at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL. In lieu of flowers, Mrs. Gray would have desired donations to Shriners at 12502 USF Pine Dr, Tampa, FL 33612 and The WAY Center at https://www.thewaycenter.org/online-giving/.