Bessie Mae Gray

Bessie Mae Gray, was born on January 20, 1934 in Flora, Mississippi to Lucille and Walter Morris Sr. She was the 4th of 5 Children, and the only remaining sibling of her parents lineage. Bessie had six children Annie Mae, Roosevelt, Essie Mae, Sallie Mae, James Edward, & Johnnie Lee. She raised her family in Mississippi, until they relocated to Flint, MI in 1971, ultimately later moving to Las Vegas, NV in 1982. There she continued working as a domestic worker until retirement. “Mother” as she became known by her family lived life her way, unapologetically too. She loved to dance, and listen to music, especially her “Down-home Blues”, and get her nails done. Mother also loved spending time with her family. She really enjoyed going to Olive Garden, and she would ALWAYS order the Zupa Toscana, and she loved drinking her Coca Colas.

Mother was blessed to lead a life where she would see Four Generations that followed after her. She became a Mother, a Grandmother, a Great-Grandmother, and even a Great Great-Grandmother over the course of her Eighty-Nine years here. She would often be the main babysitter, and she took pride in her role as the matriarch of the family.

Bessie was preceded in death by her Husband Jesse James Robinson, Her Two sons Roosevelt Gray, and Johnnie Lee Gray; Her Parents Lucille and Walter Morris Sr.; Two brothers Jimmy Lee Morris, and Walter Morris Jr.; Two Sisters Ora Lee Morris, and Mary Jo Holloway (Robert Lee), One Grandson Thomas Preston IV., & one Son-in-law Milton Ransburg.

She is survived by her 4 Children Annie Mae Ransburg (Milton), Essie Mae Williams (Ozzie), Sallie Mae Waters (James Sr.), & James Edward Gray; Her 14 Grandchildren Quentin Ransburg, James Ransburg, & Yolanda Leggins (Cortez), LaShawnda Gray, Talisa Gray, Owen Jackson III (Valerie), and Ricky Jackson Jr., LaKeisha Gray-Preston (Thomas), Nyla Walker (Sabastian), James Waters Jr., & Roosevelt Waters (Crystal), Jamal Gray, Tyrance Sain-Gray, and Melissa Wilkerson (John); 33 Great-Grandchildren Jamiyah Jackson, Janiyah Jackson, Corey Jackson Jr., Thomas Preston V, J’Lynn Preston,  Freddie Jackson, Frederick Jackson, Monique Jackson, Courtney Hemphill, Shawn Hemphill, Iverson Jones, James Jones III, Aniyah Waters, Precious Littles, Anna Jackson, Nia Jackson, Lyric Jackson, Jehloni Whitfield, Saniya Walker, Savion Walker, Samir Walker, Messiah Waters, Malachi Waters, Kamari Cooper, Charlie Waters, Cross Waters, & Roosevelt Waters, as well as 5 other Great-Grandchildren of Canton, Mississippi; 2 Great Great-Granddaughters Yhumee Whitfield, & Laila Kaior; Nephews Robert Earl Holloway, Willie Earl Holloway, James Holloway; Nieces Pearlie Holloway, Peggy Holloway, and a host of other Nieces, Nephews, Cousins, and Friends that love her dearly.