Obit – Marian Darlene Gray Murray
The Lord in Heaven brought Marian Darlene Gray into the world on September 17, 1935 and took her home on April 14, 2026.
She was born in Hardin, Montana and left this world from Carthage, Tennessee.
Marian was a born-again Christian. She was baptized at the age of eight with her father and sister on Easter Sunday at the mission church in Crow Agency, Montana. Marian enjoyed the visits from her church family and was thankful to attend Sunday School at First Baptist Church in Gordonsville on her last Sunday in her earthly body. She treasured God’s word and her favorite Bible verse was Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding.”
Growing up Marian had a very active life, living on a farm most of her childhood and teenage years. She helped with numerous chores like gathering the eggs and liked to tell the story about a time when she was five and her dad saw a rooster attacking her. That night the family had chicken and dumplings for dinner. She participated in 4-H and went to the state 4-H Congress several times and served as a judge. She also went to the National 4-H Congress in Chicago, IL when she was sixteen. One of her sheep won grand champion at the fair in Billings, Montana.
Marian was an avid, life-long learner. Recently she read two to four books a week. She especially enjoyed Civil War and American history, books about other areas of the world and murder mysteries. She started teaching school at age nineteen and earned her Bachelor’s degree at twenty-four. She went back to school in her fifties and earned her certification in special education. She also learned to play the clarinet, piano and paint.
A traveler at heart, Marian had numerous adventures as she learned more about America and the world on her many trips. One of her more recent big trips was a mission trip that she went on in her late seventies. She also went to Israel to see the places where her Savior, Jesus Christ, served all mankind through His ministry and sacrifice. Other adventures include: teaching overseas in Kuwait for two years when she was in her sixties, traveling to Holland to enjoy the tulips, Egypt to see the pyramids, cruising the Hawaiian Islands and traveling throughout the rest of the United States.
Marian also served extensively after she retired from teaching, with most of her hours spent assisting children in Texas. She volunteered over one thousand hours a year multiple times and was presented with the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President George W. Bush for volunteering over four thousand hours.
Marian married Robert Murray in 1961. Marian is survived by her children, William Murray, Laura (Ted) Spingler and David (Teryn) Murray, as well as her sister, Joyce Buckingham and brother, Earl (Cathie) Gray, six beloved grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and several precious nieces and nephews. Marian’s parents, Henry Earl Gray and Alma Edna Dygert Gray and her brother-in-law, Calvin Buckingham, preceded her in death.
Marian and her family appreciate the care she has received recently by the wonderful family of caregivers at the Pavilion in Carthage, Adoration Home Healthcare and Dr. Ginger Smith and Jackie.
A celebration of life will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026 at 3PM at the First Baptist Church of Gordonsville, Tennessee with Bro. Brandon Patton officiating. Visitation with the family will be at First Baptist Church, Gordonsville on Friday May 1, 2026 from 2PM until the time of the service at 3PM.
BASS of GORDONSVILLE
