Howard O. Gray Obituary

Former Journalist and Area Businessman Howard Gray Dies

Howard O. Gray, 76, 2730 Illinois Ave., former reporter and mining editor for The Joplin Globe Publishing Company, died at 7:25 a.m. Saturday at St. John’s Medical Center, where he had been a patient one day after suffering an apparent stroke.

Mr. Gray was bom Aug. 20, 1904, at Miami, Okla. He had lived in Jasper County his entire lifetime. For 25 years he lived at 20th and Malang Road, where he had a small cattle farm. He moved to his present address in March.

He attended Joplin public schools, the University of Missouri and the University of Michigan. He worked for The Joplin Globe as a reporter from 1931 to 1936 and was mining editor 1936 to 1948. He was secretary of the Tri-State Zinc and Lead Ore Producers from 1941 to 1948. He formely owned and operated a grocery store and a substation of the Joplin Post Office at Seventh Street and Rangeline. He retired in 1970 as lease representative for the New Jersey Zinc Company.

He was a member of the First Christian Church and the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers. He served on the advisory board of the Joplin Mineral Museum and was a member of the Jopltn Historical Society. He was a former member of the Jasper County Farm Bureau and American Angus Association. He also was a member of the Joplin Area for Friends and Parents for Retarded Citizens.

He was a past master and life member of Fellowship Lodge No. 345, AF&AM; member of the Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Joplin; past recording secretary for the York Rite Bodies consisting of past high priest of Joplin Chapter No. 91, Royal Arch Masons, past illustrious master of Ascension Coinmandry No. 39, Knights Templar, and a member of Jasper Council No. 30 of Royal and Select Masons.

He was past prior of Missouri Priory No. 17; a knight of the York Cross of Honor; a knight companion, past soverign and recorder emeritus of St. Andrew’s Conclave, Red Cross of Constanine; and a member of Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Temple at Springfield; Joplin Shrine Club; Ruth Chapter No. 177, Order of Eastern Star; the International Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay; the Square Club of Southwest Missouri; the Order of the Silver Trowel, and the Order of the High Priesthood.

He married Laura Mae Clark April 19, 1931, at Kansas City. She survives. Additional survivors include two sons, Bill Gray, New Berlin, Wis., and Tom Gray, Columbia; a daughter, Mrs. R. Donald (Patty) Miller, 2615 Illinois Ave.; and nine grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Parker Mortuary. The Rev. Thurman Kelley and Dr. James Layman will officiate. Burial will be in Forest Park Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Bill Gray, Tom Gray, Jeff Gray, W. Donald Miller, Tripp Miller and Jim Moore. All Masonic bodies will be seated as honorary pallbearers. Friends may call at Parker Mortuary after noon today until the service time.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Joplin Mineral Museum in Schifferdecker Park, Joplin.