Helen Louise (Lee) Gray

Helen Louise Lee Gray, age 91, of Shreveport, Louisiana, died Sunday, November 6th, 2022, after a brief illness.

Helen was born in 1931 in Florien, LA, to Eloice Eva Pruitt and Robert E. Lee. After completing high school, Helen was ready to leave the Lee family farm to seek her future. She attended business school in Baton Rouge, LA, later moving to Shreveport to work for the Chamber of Commerce. Here, Helen went on a blind date and met the love of her life, George Gray. After George was recalled to active duty in 1950 and assigned to Germany, George courted via letters. After seeing a newspaper photo of the Chamber parade float with Helen cavorting in skimpy attire (George’s words), George knew it was time to make it official, marrying in 1952. When asked what won her over, Helen said it was George’s wonderful letters. Note to future generations – a thoughtful and heart felt letter is more effective than a text message when courting!

And their adventures began! George served in the Army for 33 years with Helen supporting him. Helen and George moved frequently while raising three children, John, Gail, and Patricia. Assignments took them across the U.S. and overseas, including Newfoundland, Canada, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. Helen proved resilient by, largely on her own, packing up and transporting household goods while corralling rambunctious children, because George was off to his next assignment. One highlight - in 1959, while George was on temporary duty in Greenland, she attended a reception at the Newfoundland military officer’s club. Helen was introduced to the young Queen Elizabeth II, who was on a tour of Canada.

George’s final military assignment was the District Engineer position for Saudi Arabia. The problem? George couldn’t keep his military staff in country. Wives rebelled at the lack of commercial housing, shopping, entertainment, and education opportunities. They felt isolated. Communication was by short wave radios, and they weren’t allowed to drive! Helen came to the rescue by organizing family housing, arranging shopping and sightseeing trips, and building an in-country support network for the families. Staffing problem solved.

After retiring from the military, George and Helen created Gray International Corporation (GIC). George traveled to Korea, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia lining up construction contracts, while Helen was the U.S. VP of Operations, supporting personnel on overseas assignments and managing multi-million-dollar account receivables and payables. While George may have been a successful Army officer and businessman, it was made possible by Helen’s resourcefulness, organizational skills, and financial expertise.

After closing GIC in the 1980s, Helen and George “retired” to Shreveport, LA, where they managed rental property. Helen became active in bridge groups and was a founding member of the Professional Republican Women’s Club in Caddo Parish. She was also a member of the Daughters of the Nile women’s group.

Helen is preceded in death by her parents, Eloice Pruitt and Robert E. Lee; her husband, George B. Gray, Jr.; her son, John Gray, Sr.; brothers, Robert Hoy Lee, Rayden Lee, and Claude Lee; and sisters, Eva Dell Hollis and Ema Lee Cole. She is survived by her daughters, Gail and Patricia Gray; grandsons, John Gray, Jr. (wife Rachel), Mike Gray (Carmen), and George Gray III (Sara); granddaughters, Melinda Parrie (Joe) and Jeanie Gray; as well as her brothers, Walter Lee (Connie) and Lynn Lee (Martha). She was blessed with great grandchildren, including some through ties by marriage, and enjoyed stories about Matthew, Laurynn, Joey, Gabriel, Abigail, Hunter, Parker, Trayveon, and Rollin. Helen enjoyed an extensive extended family.

Visitation will take place on Saturday, November 12, from 10:00 AM until 12:00 noon, at Forest Park Funeral Home, 1201 Louisiana Ave. Funeral services will begin immediately afterwards at 12:00 noon at Forest Park Funeral Home. Burial will be at Forest Park Cemetery East.

Helen would be pleased for any memorials to the Shriners Hospitals, or to a charity of your choice.

Helen was our rock. She will be missed.