John Fredrick Gray

1953 - 2024

John Fredrick Gray age 71, of Malvern, passed away Thursday, August 29, 2024 at CHI St. Vincent in Hot Springs.  He was born on January 5, 1953 in Malvern, AR, the son of Ebenezer Lorenzo and Pauline Lavada Jordan Gray, the youngest of three siblings. He married his bride, Stephanie Kay Cooper on April 15,1995 at Gilead Baptist Church, where he was a lifelong member. John and Stephanie had one child, Eben A. Gray.
From a young age he was fascinated with small engines, and taught himself how to rebuild lawn mowers and tillers. As a teen he used these skills to earn enough to continue his hobby and help around the house. He was often found mowing any neighbor's yard, testing his work, and helping at no charge. He was a 1973 graduate of Malvern High School, and was voted "Mr. Irresistible" that same year by his classmates. His favorite subject was shop. It was there that he honed building skills that he used to build furniture or anything else he wanted. Right after High School he completed Ouachita Votech's Diesel Mechanic program among the top of his class and went on to become one of the best mechanics to be found. He began his career at Interstate Diesel in Little Rock and enjoyed a quick following of owner operators from all over the U.S. who wouldn't let anyone touch their trucks but him.
Eventually, he took a job with CJ Horner where he stayed until he retired in 2009. He considered his work place a second home and his colleagues like family. After retirement, he stayed in touch even visited the shop as frequently as possible. He valued the friendships that came from there and always missed working with them. He admired and respected his employer, the CJ Horner Family, and said they were good to him and treated him like one of their own.
He lived life simply and took responsibility seriously, pouring all of his energy into causes near and dear to his Heart. He worked tirelessly to promote the Anthony Cooper Memorial Bass Tournament for many years, collecting donated prizes and setting up tents for serving his own fresh smoked meats to raise awareness for suicide prevention, then donated all proceeds to treatment centers to help people battling depression. Deer camp was his favorite place to be. Comradery with his buddies, camping, cooking, and campfire stories made up some of his fondest memories. The bonds he built in the deer woods were unbreakable. He also loved to fish and eat.  He had a multitude of friendships over the years from his lifelong best friend Mike Sibley, and his chosen brothers, Paul Cardin and Rusty Jones. Each played an important part in his life, and were very dear to him. They went above and beyond, took care and did beautiful favors for him until the end.
John is preceded in death by parents; wife, Stephanie Gray; half-brother, Bill Gray; and sister Cheryl Gray.
Left to cherish his memory, son, Eben Gray; nieces (whom he considered his daughters), Connie (Gary) Abudll-Haq and Kathy (David) Thomspon; several great nieces and nephews and 4 great-great nieces and nephews, who all loved him just as much as he loved them.
Visitation will be 6-8 PM Friday September 6th at Regency Funeral Home. Services will be 4pm Saturday, September 7th at Regency Funeral Home with Bro. Rusty Jones officiating. Burial will be at Ouachita Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Steve Speers, Clay Speers, Chance Speers, John Horner, Zach Vannorman, and Hoss Price.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Wayne Brown and Mike Pitts.
Special thanks to great nephew, William Thomason for all the extra care he provided.
Arrangements are made by Regency Funeral Home. You may sign the guestbook at regencyfuneralhome.com