Bobby G. Gray

He was born April 2, 1941, in Tipton County, TN. For 65 years, he thought his birthday was April 3 until he filed for Social Security and discovered his birth certificate had a different date. Afterwards, Bobby celebrated on both days every year.

He spent his professional career in automotive body repair, starting at Hoehn Chevrolet and later working at Bud Davis and Chuck Hutton dealerships. In 1991, he purchased Bartlett Body Shop, where he had many loyal customers and friends. He was heavily involved with Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (IICAR) and was passionate about teaching ways to perform Collision repairs that resulted in more safety for the consumer.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing, NASCAR, and, later, the Kansas City Chiefs. He cherished weekly movie dates with Betty, his beloved wife of 55 years, and regular lget-togethers with his family. After retirement, he relished weekly breakfast outings with longtime friends.

Bobby loved practical jokes, generally serving as the instigator and letting others take the blame. He had many trophy deer and one trophy torque converter, gifted to him anonymously after he accidentally shot and killed a new truck.

Bobby was a longtime member of Christ Church Bartlett.

He is survived by his wife Betty Glass Gray; daughter Rhonda Simmons (Rooster); granddaughters Kasey Simmons, Laina Gray (Branson Yarbro), and Leanna Gray; grandsons Daniel Simmons and Adam Blair; and great-grandchildren Knox, Embry, and Lillian. He was preceded in death by his son Collin Gray (2022) and daughter Elizabeth “Libby” Blair (2024).

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Christ Church Bartlett, or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Services for Bobby will be held Saturday, October 25. Visitation will be noon-2 p.m. at Christ Church Bartlett, 6033 Old Brownsville Road, Bartlett, TN, 38135, followed by a celebration of life at 2 p.m. Interment will be at Memorial Gardens, 3700 N. Germantown Pkwy, Bartlett, TN, 38133 at 3 p.m.

1st Corinthians 13:13

"and now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE"