Mary Dell (Bates) Gray

Mary Dell Bates Gray, 93, passed away on January 13, 2024, at her daughter’s home in Prosperity, S.C.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at St. George Baptist Church, 2590 Shillings Bridge Rd, Orangeburg. Rev. Kevin Ard will be officiating.  Burial will follow at the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 12:00-1:00 P.M. on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, prior to the funeral service.

Pallbearers will be W.E. Gray, Roger Rumchak, Jennifer Davis, Cynthia Rickards, Tommy Garrick and Stuart Pettit.

Mary Dell was born on July 12, 1930, in Orangeburg, S.C. to the late Glenn and Annie Mae Bates.  She was the third born of five children.  She always said growing up on a farm they didn’t have much, but they never knew that they didn’t have much.

Mary Dell attended Orangeburg High School and graduated in 1947.  She worked for many years as a secretary in the insurance business and later at Orangeburg Pecan Company until she was well in her 80’s.

She was a lifelong member of Rivelon Baptist Church in Orangeburg, S.C.  She loved her church family and attended faithfully until she moved away to live with her daughter.

Mary Dell was a faithful and loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend.  Family was what she treasured the most in life.  She was predeceased by her parents, her ex-husband, Jacob B. Gray, Jr., sisters, Alice Garrick, Ellen Bizzell and her brother, Halbert Bates.

She is survived by her daughters, Debbie Gray of Orangeburg, Nancy Rumchak (Jim) of Prosperity, S.C.; grandchildren, Roger Rumchak (Kathy) of Greenville, Jennifer Davis (Jonathan) of Midlothian, VA, Jacob Gray (Tara) of St. Matthews; six great-grandchildren; sister, Margaret B. Pettit (Gene) of Orangeburg and a number of nieces and nephews.

Mary Dell’s sweet demeanor and caring love will be missed by her family-especially by her great-grandson, Noah and her best four-legged friend, Benny.

The Gray family would like to thank MSA Hospice-especially Janet and Desiree for their devoted care of our mother.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Rivelon Baptist Church, 395 Rivelon Road, Orangeburg, S.C. 29115 or to a pet rescue agency of one’s choice.