Charlotte Lewis Gray, of West Memphis, passed away, Thursday, November 24, 2022 in Memphis Tennessee. She was born January 20th, the same birthday as her two older sisters, to the late J. Arlie and Noma McLeod Lewis in Hermitage.
From her early childhood, Charlotte wanted to be a lawyer. Not having the finances at the time to attend law school, she went to work with Dr. W. T. Lowe in Pine Bluff. Dr. Lowe decided to make a nurse out of her and thus began her career in healthcare.
Charlotte received her BSN and MSN from Arkansas State University. She was a registered nurse, nurse practitioner, and clinical nurse specialist. She taught nursing at East Arkansas Community College in Forrest City as well as developed and taught “Math for Nurses.” During this time, she chaired the NCA’s Integrity Accreditation Committee at EACC. She also taught nursing at Mid-South Community College in West Memphis and was the Director of Crittenden Primary Care where she helped recruit new physicians for the hospital’s clinics. She was co-developer of the Day Surgery Unit at Crittenden Memorial Hospital and a Cardiac Rehabilitation & Employee Health Nurse.
Her community involvement included being Band Booster President, where she and her husband were selected as Band Parents of the Year. She was President of the Crittenden Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, President of Newcomers Club, and served on various church, civic, and municipal committees.
Additional church and community involvement included being a member of First Baptist Church of West Memphis where she taught 4th grade Sunday School, served as Children’s Division Director, director of Children’s Bible Drill, directed the 2nd grade children’s choir, and member of the handbell and sanctuary choirs. She served as State Regional Coordinator for the Children’s, Youth, and High School Bible Drills as well as Youth Speaker’s Tournament. The impact she made in the lives of children through over 50 years of service in Bible Drill was highlighted in the Arkansas Baptist News Magazine.
Other memberships and awards: Sigma Theta Tau (Nursing Honors Society), Honors Member of Florence Nightingale Society, Phi Kappa Phi, NLN, ASNP, ARNA, BSN Academic Scholar (highest GPA), MSN Academic Scholar (highest GPA), Outstanding Clinical Student, The President’s Award, Honors Day Award, Awarded Honor Membership in Nightingale Society, Employee Nurse of the Month-Crittenden Regional Hospital, 2008 Crittenden Regional Hospital Employee of the Year Award, and Finalist in 2009 and 2010 Arkansas Most Compassionate Nurse Award.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul E. Gray, Sr.; three sisters, Peggy Spears, Arline Watson and Reba Nell Belin; son, Paul E. Gray Jr.; granddaughter, Rebecca Elizabeth Vaughn; great-granddaughter, Riley Gray Pool as well as her parents.
Survivors include daughter, Susan Elizabeth Waggener (Frank Waggener) of West Memphis; grandchildren, Rachel Gray Pool (Jim Pool), Kelly Oaks (Rachel Oaks), Kevin Gray (Katie Harris) and Lauren Gray (Matt Bacsalmasi); great-grandsons, Caleb James Pool and Grayson Thomas Pool.
Charlotte was very active in the lives of her family, church and community and will be dearly missed by them all.
A Visitation and funeral service was held on Sunday, November 27, 2022 at First Baptist Church in West Memphis. A Graveside Service will take place on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 2 p.m. at Gravel Ridge Cemetery in Hermitage.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations may be made to: First Baptist Church Children’s Ministry in West Memphis, ASU MidSouth - Paul Gray Memorial Scholarship, Ouachita Baptist University - Riley Gray Pool Memorial or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
