Obituary for Beryline Zerita "SoulLady" Gray (Lowery)
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith
2 Timothy 4:7
Mrs. Beryline Zerita Lowery Gray, 67, of 603 Brevard St. in Statesville, was born in Iredell County, May 25, 1952, and was the daughter beloved daughterof the late Napoleon Theadore Lowery Sr. and Alberta Blackwelder Lowery. She peacefully went into God's care, Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at her home, with her daughter and baby sister by her side. "Soul Lady" as she was called, went to Dunbar High School in Mooresville, and was a member of Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ since 1976, a past member of The Lady Spades and some call her "The Queen of Rankin Town." "Ganna," as she was called by her grandchildren, was a loving family woman who enjoyed playing cards, singing, cooking, gardening and dancing. Ganna was always the first one on the dance floor. Above all, she loved the Lord and she was ready when He called her home.
On April 2, 1983, she married the love of her life, Mr. James Willard "Whimp" Gray, who preceded her in death, Nov. 5, 2008. She was also preceded in death by her Pomeranian dog, Pistol; one brother, Douglas Edward Lowery; and three sisters, Virginia Lowery Alexander, Gladys Lowery Smith and Roberta Lowery Portlock. Left to cherish the memory of her life are a daughter, Audrilla D. Lowery of Statesville; a son, William T. Lowery Sr. of Statesville; an adopted daughter, Shirlyn Sloan Heilig of Salisbury; six grandchildren, Bobby D. (Telia) "B.J." Holmes Jr., Lakedra Lowery (C.J.) Ramseur, William T. Lowery Jr., Tylisa Lowery, Tyquan Lowery, and Tykia Lowery, all of Statesville; eight great-grandchildren, DeAndre Lowery-Rice, Zemiah Lowery-Smith, Demari Ramseur, King-Asher L. Holmes, Makennley Mayberry, Tariq Lowery, Taija Lowery and Tazia Lowery, all of Statesville; two brothers, Napoleon Theadore (Phyllis) Lowery Jr. of Mooresville and Allan (Grace) Lowery of Kannapolis; three sisters, Dorothy Lowery Reid of Washington, D.C., her twin Meryline Lowery (Clyde) Wilson of Greensboro, and Sylvia D. Lowery of Statesville; three sisters-in-law, Barbara Gray, Rethlene Gray and Cynthia Gray, all of Statesville; a special niece, Shonda Lowery; three special friens, Renee Campbell, Darlene (Rev. Ivan) Cowan and Linda Imes; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. A special thank you to Dr. Daniel Bellingham's office, Hospice of Iredell County, Statesville Dialysis, including Dr. Sinasi Salman and Vontressa Wood, and the one she called "sister", Wanda Haneline.
Celebration of life services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, March 19, at Rutledge and Bigham Mortuary. Apostle Carl Daniel Lykes Sr. will officiate and the Rev. James Williams will eulogize. Burial will follow in the Belmont Cemetery. The family will assemble at the residence of her grandson, Bobby "B.J." (Telia) Holmes Jr. at 708 West Pine Cir. in Statesville.
2 Timothy 4:7
Mrs. Beryline Zerita Lowery Gray, 67, of 603 Brevard St. in Statesville, was born in Iredell County, May 25, 1952, and was the daughter beloved daughterof the late Napoleon Theadore Lowery Sr. and Alberta Blackwelder Lowery. She peacefully went into God's care, Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at her home, with her daughter and baby sister by her side. "Soul Lady" as she was called, went to Dunbar High School in Mooresville, and was a member of Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ since 1976, a past member of The Lady Spades and some call her "The Queen of Rankin Town." "Ganna," as she was called by her grandchildren, was a loving family woman who enjoyed playing cards, singing, cooking, gardening and dancing. Ganna was always the first one on the dance floor. Above all, she loved the Lord and she was ready when He called her home.
On April 2, 1983, she married the love of her life, Mr. James Willard "Whimp" Gray, who preceded her in death, Nov. 5, 2008. She was also preceded in death by her Pomeranian dog, Pistol; one brother, Douglas Edward Lowery; and three sisters, Virginia Lowery Alexander, Gladys Lowery Smith and Roberta Lowery Portlock. Left to cherish the memory of her life are a daughter, Audrilla D. Lowery of Statesville; a son, William T. Lowery Sr. of Statesville; an adopted daughter, Shirlyn Sloan Heilig of Salisbury; six grandchildren, Bobby D. (Telia) "B.J." Holmes Jr., Lakedra Lowery (C.J.) Ramseur, William T. Lowery Jr., Tylisa Lowery, Tyquan Lowery, and Tykia Lowery, all of Statesville; eight great-grandchildren, DeAndre Lowery-Rice, Zemiah Lowery-Smith, Demari Ramseur, King-Asher L. Holmes, Makennley Mayberry, Tariq Lowery, Taija Lowery and Tazia Lowery, all of Statesville; two brothers, Napoleon Theadore (Phyllis) Lowery Jr. of Mooresville and Allan (Grace) Lowery of Kannapolis; three sisters, Dorothy Lowery Reid of Washington, D.C., her twin Meryline Lowery (Clyde) Wilson of Greensboro, and Sylvia D. Lowery of Statesville; three sisters-in-law, Barbara Gray, Rethlene Gray and Cynthia Gray, all of Statesville; a special niece, Shonda Lowery; three special friens, Renee Campbell, Darlene (Rev. Ivan) Cowan and Linda Imes; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. A special thank you to Dr. Daniel Bellingham's office, Hospice of Iredell County, Statesville Dialysis, including Dr. Sinasi Salman and Vontressa Wood, and the one she called "sister", Wanda Haneline.
Celebration of life services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, March 19, at Rutledge and Bigham Mortuary. Apostle Carl Daniel Lykes Sr. will officiate and the Rev. James Williams will eulogize. Burial will follow in the Belmont Cemetery. The family will assemble at the residence of her grandson, Bobby "B.J." (Telia) Holmes Jr. at 708 West Pine Cir. in Statesville.