Katherine "Jean" Gray

Katherine “Jean” Gray of Amarillo, TX, passed away on November 29, 2025.

The family will receive friends from 5:30 P.M. – 7:00 P.M., Friday, December 5, 2025, at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, December 6, 2025, at Amarillo First Nazarene Church, officiated by Pastor Jeff Marco and Pastor Ron Sullivan. Interment will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.

Jean was born on September 20, 1944, in Jacksboro, TX, to Chester and Irene Holman. She married Ronald Garland Gray on August 30, 1963, in Pampa, TX. She earned a master’s degree and worked as a self-employed music teacher, continuing to teach until 2012. Jean was a member of First Church of the Nazarene for 49 years and directed the church choir for 35 of those years.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Chester and Irene Holman.

She is survived by her husband, Ronald Gray; her children, Melody Fisher and husband, Danny, of Loveland, CO, and Melissa Haney and husband, Kris, of Amarillo, TX; and her grandchildren, Dr. Benjamin Fisher and partner, Dr. Claire Aubin, of New Haven, CT; Noah Fisher and girlfriend, Sophie Raleigh, of San Diego, CA; Bailey Haney of Amarillo, TX; and Zack Haney of Amarillo, TX.

Jean loved Jesus deeply and spent many years serving faithfully as her church’s music director. Her children grew up watching her live out her faith in quiet, consistent ways—often seeing her slip into her bedroom to kneel beside her bed and pray the moment someone called with a need.

A gifted musician and natural encourager, she taught piano and voice lessons for many years, shaping the lives of countless students. Many of them lovingly called her their “second mom,” a reflection of the compassion, guidance, and steady presence she offered.

She had a joyful spirit and loved to laugh, especially when teasing or playing jokes on her husband, Ron. Married for 62 years, their life together was marked by laughter, warmth, and a deep companionship that inspired everyone who knew them. Over the years, many people asked, “What is your secret?”

She delighted in celebrating others. Holidays and birthdays were always special occasions in her home, complete with elaborate decorations, homemade meals served on the “good dishes,” special desserts, and generous gifts. She poured love into every detail.

Jean also found joy in simple pleasures, especially her love of thrift shopping—affectionately called “junking.” She could spend hours searching for hidden treasures, and after years of looking, she proudly found the mink coat she had always dreamed of discovering.

She loved the mountains, especially Red River, which she visited as often as possible. She knew many of the locals by name and made friends instantly, often learning someone’s life story within minutes. She never met a stranger. She loved people, cared for people, and prayed faithfully for everyone who crossed her path.

Her family was her heart. She prayed for them every single day. One of the greatest treasures she leaves behind is her old, worn Bible—filled with handwritten notes, prayers, and evidence of a life lived close to the Lord.