Mother Lillie Mae Taylor Gray (September 16, 1931 – November 7, 2020)

Visitation: Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Visitation Time: 4:00 – 7:00 PM
Visitation Location: St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church
1968 Bruton Boulevard
Orlando, Florida

Service Date: Thursday, November 12, 2020
Service Time: 1:00 PM
Service Location:St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church
1968 Bruton Boulevard
Orlando, Florida

Obituary:

Mother Lillie Mae Taylor Gray, Deaconess in the African Methodist Episcopal Church was actually born on September 16, 1931 to Mr. James Reagan and the soon to become District Missionary Ammie Taylor in Perry, Georgia as Lilly Taylor. Folklore has it that because she was born on the same day as her mother, that her mother decided to give her September 16th as a day to celebrate her birth, so not to share the same day. All records indicate that not only was her birth changed but also her name. Some kind of way she would soon be known as Lillie Mae. A young girl that would be raised by her grandparents and aunts initially until she came to live with her mother permanently in Atlanta, Georgia. There she was educated and soon became connected with Hinsley Temple Church of God in Christ.

As she grew she actively worked in the Young People’s Willing Workers and Sunshine Band. She even became a Young Missionary and was given opportunities to teach others in the word of God. She loved church and found much joy in her friends that would regularly “cut a rug” in church, as she would call it. For her it was the only time that they would get a chance to dance to some good music because of the strict regulations of no secular music or parties allowed. She recalled that on one occasion, they were dancing so hard in church that the more seasoned saints complained to Bishop HInsley about their behavior, to which he responded publicly, leave them children alone, have you not read in the bible to Leap unto Joy. While they may be playing now, sooner or later they Holy Ghost will catch them and the playing will turn to praise. Well it did! She found herself dancing one Sunday and before she knew it the Holy Ghost caught her and she began speaking in tongues and danced all over church.

This gorgeous woman became a trail blazer for young women in Central Georgia Jurisdiction of COGIC as she intentionally began wearing pants for work and make up to accentuate her beauty. A beauty that would catch the eye of Frank Mancefield Gray, Jr, a young ex- military, then postal worker who did everything he could to catch her after meeting her at Davidson Diner where she slung hash. He chased Lillie Mae to church, where on a Sunday Evening he attended and according to her, he got in the prayer line, fell out, rolled around on the floor just to finally get a date. Well from there they would later marry on June 27, 1961. To this union two children were born. Frank Mancefield Gray, III, who died shortly after birth and Terence Renard Gray, I.

She worked faithfully as a manager in J C Penny and later as a companion nurse. Yet her life would drastically change as her husband Frank entered ministry and started pastoring in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. During their early pastoral charges, they served circuit congregations in Vinings and Calhoun, Georgia. This allowed Lillie to go with Frank on First and Third Sundays and return to Hinsley Temple on Second and Fourth. A practice that she maintained until they finally were given a station charge in Atlanta at Fidelity AMEC. Their ministry career continued to Mount Carmel and ended in Hogansville Circuit after 33 years of faithful service. During this time she served in the Minister’s Spouse’s Alliance, Women’s Missionary Society, and as a YPD Director, Sunday School Teacher, and Capital Campaign Chair in support of her husband Frank and the fulfillment of her call to service. Although she was the Pastor’s Wife, she refused to allow a different polity to interfere with her praise. She would regularly be found dancing and praising even though it was not the most accepted form of worship in an AME Church in those days.

Upon her husband’s death on October 3rd of 1993, Lillie Mae returned to the COGIC and united with Paradise COGIC. There, Mother Gray as she was affectionately called, tried to help pastor the pastor. She would always offer suggestions and be the first to pledge financial support. She loved her church and her pastor’s family. She grew the more spiritually and worked tirelessly within her church and jurisdiction to the point that she received numerous awards and recognitions for her efforts.

Yet her greatest joy was her family. She loved her son, Terence and her grandchildren Jocelyn, Terence, II and Tramaine. She lived to love them and desired nothing but the best for them as she invested in the furtherance of their education and growth. Not to mention her overwhelming love for her great grandchild, Torey.

In an effort to be closer to her family she moved to Orlando in January 2017 and united with Saint Mark AMEC. She gave her son, Terence the greatest honor in the world by allowing him to become her pastor. While in Saint Mark she worked to improve pastoral care, and worked to teach her new pastor how to pastor. Lillie Mae was a joy to be around as she offered advice to young couples and single people. She prayed regularly for them and was always willing to be a blessing to others. Her commitment to nurture and service inspired the Steward Board to recommend her to become a Deaconess in AMEC. She was confirmed by the Central Annual Conference and Consecrated by Bishop Adam J. Richardson. Even in Saint Mark, Lillie Mae would be found dancing.

On Saturday, November 7, 2020, Lillie Mae danced her way into eternity. She leaves valued life lessons of love, service and financial management to her son, Terence Renard Gray, I; her grandchildren, (Darold) & Jocelyn Bianca Ingram, Terence, II & Tramaine; her great grandchild, Torey and host of daughters that she adopted along the way especially Sally McGhee, Joyce Ann Jones-Gray, Yolanda Reeves-Weaver, Paulette Isaac, Ingra Chandler Tookes and Sharon Butler.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 11, 2020 from 4-7PM at the church. A service of celebration will be held on Thursday, November 12, 2020, 1:00 PM at St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1968 Bruton Boulevard, Orlando with P.E. J. Leander Byrd, officiating and Pastor Terence R. Gray, I, eulogist. Final services will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2020, 12 Noon at St. Mark AMEC, 3605 Campbellton Rd SW, Atlanta, GA with Bishop Paul Fortson, eulogist. Interment: Westview Cemetery, Atlanta, GA.