Lucy Porter Gray
Lucy Porter Bunch Gray, 84, of Austin, Kentucky, passed away peacefully at her home on August 28, 2024. Lucy was born to the late Charlie and Flossie Williams Bunch on February 9, 1940 at her childhood home in Beech Grove, Kentucky.
Lucy is survived by her husband of 66 years, Marshall Gray, her high school sweetheart, with whom she eloped in March of 1958. She was devoted to her family and she and Marshall raised three sons together– Mark (Debby) Gray of Corbin, KY; Todd (Donna) Gray of Austin, KY; Jeff (Tammy) Gray of Glasgow, KY. Memories of “Ma Gray” will be fondly cherished by six grandchildren: Donavan (Audrey) Cain of Huntsville, AL, Katie Gray (Tyler) Keating of Glasgow, KY, Will (Tiffany) Gray of Glasgow, KY, Matthew (Katie) Gray of Austin, KY, Jessica Gray of Austin, KY, and Sarah Gray (Jamison) Kingrey of Glasgow, KY. Her legacy will be carried on through 11 great-grandchildren: Abby, Erin, and Aoife Cain; Presley and Paisley Rowe; Jaxon Kingrey; Cora, Quinn, and Gray Keating; Saylor and Eli Gray. Lucy is also fondly remembered by lots of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Lucy was preceded in death by Marshall’s parents, Godfrey and Ethel Wilson Gray and her five older sisters, whom she cherished: Ruth Bunch West, Sarah Bunch Shockley, Charlyne Bunch Ogden, Nettie Pearl Bunch Furlong, and Betty Jo Bunch Lyons. She was also preceded in death by two nieces, Jennifer Furlong Shaw and Debbie Jo Johns, and one nephew, David Witty.
Lucy was delighted with her family genealogy and loved to tell stories of her childhood and share memories from the past. In addition to numerous beloved extended-family members, she is survived by three double-first cousins: William Stanley Browning, Donald Bunch, and Gayle Bunch Berry. She is preceded in death by many cherished cousins and double-first cousins.
She has been a faithful member of Peters Creek Missionary Baptist Church in Lucas since January of 1972. She loved her church family dearly and, for decades, enjoyed teaching Sunday School classes and Vacation Bible School.
She relished her time delivering mail on rural routes for the United States Postal Service (1979-2000) and she often recalled those beautiful drives on the backroads of Barren County. Lucy loved to travel, especially with her family, and enjoyed her trips to the beach the most. She loved the warmth of the sun, walking the shoreline, and experiencing the beauty of the coast. Family members all recall how she loved to host backyard get-togethers and cookouts, and was, perhaps, the happiest when surrounded by her family.
Lucy’s life and legacy will be memorialized at Hatcher and Saddler Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 31, with burial at Bon Ayr Cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday, August 30, after 4:00 p.m. and Saturday morning until time for the funeral service. All family and friends are encouraged and invited to attend the celebrations of her life.
If so desired, alternate expressions of sympathy may be made in Lucy’s honor to Bon Ayr Cemetery or Glasgow’s Crossroads Life Center.
Lucy was a remarkable woman. She was always warm, welcoming, and made everyone feel loved. She did everything with ease and grace, and will always be someone I admire. Hugs and prayers to all the family.
Prayers for the family.
Lucy was such a very special lady. I will always be thankful for the prayers she said for our girls when they were struggling to be saved. She will be dearly missed. Praying for your family.