Lucille "Gypsy" Gray

Lucille “Gypsy” Gray, 97, of Merkel, Texas passed away on July 13, 2025.

Lucille was born on July 1, 1928 in Tahoka, Texas to Lawrence Bennett (Benton, KY) and Lillie Bell (Reynolds) English (Robinson County, TX), which they married on September 10, 1927 and moved to Merkel in 1930. Lucille had been in the community since birth and she went to school in Merkel and graduated from Merkel High School in 1946. She married L.J. Gray on July 4, 1956. She worked for T.S. Lankford and Sons in Abilene, TX in the business office for 31 years and then worked for Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene for 21 ½ years until her retirement. She was a life long member of the First United Methodist Church in Merkel, Texas.

Lucille loved the outdoors and worked tirelessly with 4-H kids for many years. She also loved riding mules, going to Las Vegas, playing 42 and every moment spent with family and friends. She was a died in the wool Dallas Cowboy fan, win or lose, it didn’t matter to her. She was kind and loving and one of the smartest women you would ever meet. She was known by 3 different names depending on when you came to know her. Her name is Lucille but some people do not know that, they know her as Gypsy and then there is a whole other generation that know her as Aunt Cill. She was proud to be known by all three names.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband L.J. Gray, brothers John English and his wife Barbara, George English and his wife Bonnie, a granddaughter Casey Lucille Gray and nephew Dwain English.

Left to cherish her memory are her nephew Mike English (Vicky) their children Chad (Jodi) English and children Archer, Ainsley and Hattie and Brent English (Lauren) and their children Maggie and Wyatt, nephew Richard English (Lynn) and their children Rebecca Eaton (Nin) and Jessica Hartgraves (Mark), niece Taresia Griffith (Randy) their daughter Shanda Griffith and her children Logan and Barrett Sloan, great nephew Cody English (Denise) their children Ashley Lowe (John) and daughter Rory, Tyler English and daughter Paityn, Kacie Coolman (Tyler Newman) and daughter Kinzley, Robert and DaCoda Coolman, great niece Trina Riley (Michael) and their children Tanner and Trace Riley, Jessica Henson (Ryan) their children Averi, Jett, and Lake, Justin Riley (Emily) their children Rush, River and Tripp, son Johnny Gray (Shawna) and his children Brandi Gray and her children Sidney, Taylor and London, Lanny Gray (Heather) and their children Brooke, Oliver, and Alice, and the late Jeffrey Gray (Stormy) and his daughters Jordan and Justice Gray, and her forever best friend Geraldine Dunlap.

Pallbearers will be Mike English, Richard English, Chad English, Brent English, Cody English and Randy Griffith.

Visitation will be from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Thursday, July 17, 2025 at Starbuck Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside service will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery in Merkel on Friday, July 18, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. with Rhonda Greenwood officiating.

The family of Lucille would like to say a special thank you to Merkel Nursing Center and Alpha Omega Hospice for all the love and care. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to First United Methodist Church of Merkel or your charity of choice.

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