Floyd Gray Sr.

Ancestors

Descendants

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Biography

F.D. attended Oak Hill High School in Elmer, Louisiana, and loved acting. He was encouraged by teachers to attend acting school, but instead, decided to joined the U.S. Air Force. He married his high school sweetheart, Lorretta, during her senior year. He never remarried after her death from breast cancer in 1979. She was 40.

F.D. served in the U.S. Air Force from June 6, 1956 to June 5, 1960 as an Air Traffic Controller at Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Ms. He reached the rank of A2C (Airman Second Class). He always regretted leaving the Air Force, believing he and his family would have had a better life. He was proud that Gary followed in his footsteps and also joined the air force. He lived to see him retire in 1994.

F.D. lived in North Louisiana with Gary for the final seven years of his life. He died of liver cancer two weeks after diagnosis. The cancer probably started in the colon. I believe his final years were happy ones. I know they were for me.

Alias

Pink - He was a skidder driver for a logging company and this was the nickname the crew gave him. He never said why. If I were to hazard a guess, and knowing my mother, he probably wore a white t-shirt to work which mama had washed with something red, therefore turning it pink. My mother was great in so many ways, but housekeeping and cooking were not among them. Bless her.

Pops - Used by his family and those close to him.

Graduation

Date: 1 JUN 1956

Place: Oak Hill High School, Elmer, Louisiana

Military Service

Branch: United States Air Force

Entry Date: June 6, 1956

Place: Shreveport, Louisiana

Rank: AB (Airman Basic)

Service No. AF18508484

Assignment: Keesler AFB, Mississippi

Career Field: 27250A, Air Traffic Control Operator

Discharge Type: Honorable

Discharge Date: June 5, 1960

Military Rank: A2C (Airman Second Class)

Occupation

Cabinet Maker

Logger

Burial

Date: 4 APR 2002

Place: Lone Star Cemetery, Union Hill, Rapides Parish, Louisiana

Medical Notes

Diagnosed with Liver Cancer on 18 Mar 2002. Given Colonoscopy on 20 Mar 02 and found tumor on colon. Pathologist reported tumor benign, but doctors believed he was mistaken. Told on 21 Mar that the cancer was terminal. Assigned Dr. Mills as Oncologist. Died at 2:45 PM, 1 Apr 2002 with Gary and Helen at his side.

Sources

1) Personal knowledge of his oldest son, Gary.

2) Conversations with Floyd.

3) Birth Certificate

4) Death Certificate

5) Military Enlistment and Discharge papers.

• WikiTree profile Gray-3900 created through the import of GLGray.GED on Oct 10, 2012 by Gary Gray. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Gary and others.