Trudy M. Gray

On June 13th, 2018 our loving mother went to be with our father in Heaven. She passed with her children by her side after a short illness. Trudy was born January 23rd, 1929 on a cold snowy night in Craigs County, Oklahoma to Sidney and Grace Abernathy. Her and her family moved to California when she was 6 years old, and lived on the Parrot Grant Ranch in Dayton. She went to school in a little one room school house near their home. Soon after moving to Chico, she attended Oakdale School, Central School, and high school here. She met the love of her life, our daddy, at the age of 19 years old, while he was stationed at the Chico Airport, which was an army base at that time. They fell in love and were married shortly thereafter. They were together 70 beautiful years. She had many jobs over the years, she worked as a telephone operator at the age of 18, drove a catering truck known as Kopper Kup, and delivered newspapers for the Enterprise Record with our dad. She is survived by her four daughters: Diane Newquist, Nancy Starkey and Robin Neel of Chico, Linda Stigal of Corning; two sons: Charles and Rodney of Chico; 18 grandchildren, and many great and great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, John C. Gray, Jr.; son: John C. Gray 3rd; three sisters: Little Louise Abernathy, Francine Shaw, Maxine Perry Pacheco, and survived by Shirley Kelly; and proceeded by her brother Charlie Abernathy; and two grandsons Justin and Jeremiah Gray. Memorial Services will be held on Friday, June 22 at 1pm at Brusie Funeral Home, followed by a potluck reception at Casa De Flores Mobil Home Park, 701 East Lassen Ave., Chico.