Frank B. Gray, Jr.

Frank B. Gray, Jr., age 80, of Temple died Wednesday, June 17, 2009 in a local nursing center. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, June 23, at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home with Rev. John Witte officiating. Burial will be private. Mr. Gray, known to all of his friends as Bud Gray, was born on July 5, 1928 in Brownstown, Indiana to Frank B. and Pauline (Schneider) Gray. He married Wanda Lee Coyle on June 8, 1949 in Seymour, Indiana. He worked for International Harvester Company in southern Indiana and northern Kentucky. In 1963 he transferred to Temple to manage the company branch store. For a short time he managed the Temple and Waco branch stores. He saw many changes through the years while being associated with International. In 1974 he purchased the Temple branch store and it became Gray International, Inc. He had an excellent staff of employees that helped him achieve many awards for Sales and Service from International Harvester Company. In 1982 Bud and Wanda moved to Harker Heights and built the house of their dreams on a golf course and made many new friends in the area. In 1989 he relocated the dealership from downtown Temple to its present location on the north side of Temple focusing solely on trucks. This proved to be a good move as his business grew beyond his projections. He and Wanda enjoyed many trips over the years to Europe, the Carribean and other locations. These trips were awarded from International for outstanding achievements in sales and service. When he started out in southern Indiana selling International freezers, refrigerators and farm equipment he had no idea he would some day own a dealership that would deliver over 500 heavy duty trucks to one single customer before he retired. In 1994 he and Wanda moved back to Temple and joined two motor home clubs and enjoyed traveling the country together with many of their friends. In 1995 the decision was made to sell the dealership and he would retire. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting and fishing with his sons and grandchildren. He was a member of Grace Presbyterian Church, King Solomon Masonic Lodge #1427 and Karem Shrine Temple. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Barbara Schreiner of Pennsylvania, Joann Thompson of Indiana and one son, Jeffery Lee Gray. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Wanda Gray, two sons, Joseph Coyle Gray and wife, Lucy of Taylor and Frank Michael Gray and wife, Diana of Holland, four grandchildren, Jeremy Joseph Gray, Charles Christopher Gray, Brandy Lynn Taylor and Cydni Michal Gray and one great-grandchild, Jaycee Lynn Taylor, two step grandchildren, Todd Grandjean and Michelle Harris and one step great-grandchild, Christopher Berrera. The family would like to thank Scott & White Hospice and the staff at the Temple Meridian Health Center. In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials be made to Scott & White Hospice in the name of Frank B. Gray.