Charles Gray Heart Victim

Former Herman Merchant, 69, Dies At Home; Baptist Services Held

Victim of a sudden heart attack Charles R. Gray, 69, former Herman merchant and for half a century a resident of that community, died at his home there last Wednesday, July 1. He had been employed for eight years at the Truhlsen hardware.

Funeral services were held at the Herman Baptist church at 2:30 p.m. Friday, the Rev. A. W. Clarke of the Methodist church in charge. Pallbearers were D. W. Rutledge, Wilbur Lowe, C. E. Johnson, Charles Hovendick, Marcus Kroger and Edward Swanson. Interment took place in Herman cemetery.

Son of William and Elizabeth Gray, Charles Robert Gray was born January 5, 1873, at Bloomfield, Ohio, and as a boy came to Iowa with his parents. The family later moved to Neligh, Nebraska, and then to Herman.

Active in Lodges

Mr. Gray and Miss Estella Cornell were married at Herman June 17, 1900, and had spent all their married life in that community. Mr. Gray was a Royal Arch Mason of the Tekamah lodge and for 40 years belonged to Landmark lodge No. 222, A.F.&A.M., Herman. He was a charter member of Herman chapter No. 216, Order of the Eastern Star, and was a former member of the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen lodges.

For almost 30 years Mr. Gray was in the mercantile business, the firm first being known as Ackerman & Gray, and later as Gray & Gossard. After Mr. Gossard’s death, Mr. Gray operated the business alone for many years.

Mr. Gray was long active in Herman civic affairs. He was a former chief of the volunteer fire department. During the World War he was a captain of the home guards. For a number of years he was chairman of the Herman branch, American Red Cross. He was active in the affairs of the Herman churches.

Mr. Gray is survived by his wife, Estella; one brother, Ralph Gray of Stanton, Michigan, and other relatives.

#2-9 July,1942 - The Enterprise - Charles Robert Gray

C. R. GRAY, OF HERMAN, DIES OF HEART ATTACK

Was Resident Of Herman Vicinity Nearly Fifty Years

Charles Robert Gray, who died at his home in Herman on July 1 as the result of a heart attack, was buried in the Herman cemetery on Friday afternoon. Funeral services had been held at 3:30 p.m. at the Baptist Church in Herman with Rev. A. W. Clarke in charge; music was provided by Fred Robertson, L. D. Long, Clare Johnson ad Francis Forsberg, with Mrs. G. F. Lower at the piano.

Charles Gray, who was 69 at the time of his passing, was born to the late Mr. and Mrs. William Gray near Bloomfield, Iowa on January 5, 1873. When he was young, he and other members of the family came to Iowa and located near Gladbroon, later moving to Neigh, Nebraska, and thence to Herman. Nearly fifty years of the life of the deceased had been spent in the Herman vicinity.

On June 17, 1900 he was married to Miss Estella Cornell at Herman with Rev. A. M. McFarland officiating. They had no children of their own, but opened their home to three young people.

Mr. Gray was in the mercantile business for around thirty years, operating a store under the names of Ackerman and Gray, Gray and Gossard, and Gray Store. For the past eight years he had been employed at the Truhlsen Hardware Store.

Active in all community affairs, he was captain of the Herman fire department a number of years; captain of the Home Guards during the first World War, under Governor Keith Neville; chairman of the local Red Cross for a number of years; a member of the Royal Arch Masons at Tekamah; a member of Landmark Lodge No. 222, A.F.&A.M. of Herman for approximately forty years; and charter member of the Herman chapter of O.E.S.; and at one time a member of the Knights of Pythias and A.O.U.S.

Survivors include the widow and a brother, Ralph Gray of Stanton, Michigan.

Among those from out of town at the Gray services Friday were Messrs. and Mesdames Ralph Gray and Thomas Corner of Stanton, Nebraska; Harry Larson and son, Otto of Kansas City, Missouri; Don Lowe of Junction City, Kansas; J. P. Stokes, Claude Clements, Mrs. Anna Johnson of Blair; Mrs. William Meador of Tekamaha; Miss Naomi Dech of Memphis; Al Johnson, Perry and Myrtle of Omaha; Mrs. R. A. Faulke of Butler, Missouri.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~