Maryellen Gray

MaryEllen Gray, age 82, of Laurel, Maryland, passed away suddenly on November 23rd 2023. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina on February 19, 1941, MaryEllen’s parents David and Mattie White moved her to Washington, DC when she was 3 years old. She lived in the Washington, DC area throughout the remainder of her life. As a kid she enjoyed playing games like “Hi-Lo” with her friends in the neighborhood. She was educated through the Washington, DC school system graduating from Kelly Miller Junior High School and then Calvin Coolidge High School class of 1963. She later met the love of her life, John E. Gray at a party. She married him at the age of 18 and they were married for 37 glorious years before his passing in 1997.

She worked for a short time at the U.S. Government Printing Office as a Keypunch Operator. She also had an entrepreneurial passion taking classes at Prince Georges Community College for Real Estate. However, her favorite job was being a mother and homemaker. She was very active in her kid’s life doing things such as walking them to school and helping them with homework. She tried driving for a short time but stopped because it made her nervous. She had a meticulous sense of style and living. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and she would always deck the house out to the tee with gorgeous decorations. She had an amazing and beautiful assortment of crystal glasses that she would painstakingly clean until they shined like a diamond every Christmas Eve.

In her younger years, she enjoyed gardening, ceramics, and watching her soap operas. Her favorite soap was All My Children. She loved music, singing and dancing. Some of her favorite artists were The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Michael Jackson, and Chaka Khan to name a few. She was an amazing cook. She loved sweets, especially chocolates and popsicles. She also loved a good glass of eggnog with bourbon during the holidays.

She is survived by her four children Derrick Gray, DeWayne Gray, Darren Gray and Datrice (Gray) Afriye-Opoku, daughter-in-law Deborah Gray, son-in-law Lawrence Afriye-Opoku, two grandchildren Diana Afriye-Opoku and Edward Afriye-Opoku, brother David L. White, Jr., niece and nephew Danita White-Whitmire and David Whitmire, daughter-in-spirit Shervonne Walker, and many beloved family and friends.

MaryEllen was a vibrant, energetic spirit who had a zest for life. She loved her family immensely and will be greatly missed.

In lieu of sending flowers, please send cash app: $tricy1276 or zelle: Datrice Afriye-Opoku 703-395-1512