On a beautiful Summer day, July 23, 1935, Clara Frances Pinner (Gray) was born to the late Cecil Pinner and Mary Frances Payne, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  She was the eldest in a family of 11 brothers and sisters.

At the age of 8 years old she accepted Christ as her personal Savior, and joined the Main Street Baptist Church, now Mount Olive, where her membership remained for almost 80 years.  She had a servant's heart.  No task was too small or too big for her to take on.  For her, it was about seeing a need and fulfilling it.  For many years she worked alongside her husband in caring for the church building making sure that everything was clean and pleasant.  As a member of the Deaconess Ministry, she followed the family tradition of making the Communion Bread.  She was also a member of the Senior Choir, Voices of Praise, the Pastor's Aid Ministry, Women's Ministry, Senior Citizens Jubilee, Sunday School Adult Class #4.  She also served as a Sunday School Teacher and President of the Sr. Missionary Ministry.  For a number of years, she served as chairman of the Culinary Arts Committee, where she became known for her delicious Green Beans!  She was one of Mount Olive's "Golden Girls."

Clara was a proud graduate of Hopkinsville College of the Bible, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Biblical Studies.  She was a faithful member of Mission Circle #3 and the First District Women's Missionary and Educational Convention as long as her health allowed.  She was also one of the original members of the Golden Keys Jubilee Singers.

Clara loved to travel.  She was always ready to go where the church and family  members were going.

She loved to shop.  Her overflowing closets were evidence of that.  She loved her hats.  The bigger, the better!  And she loved her family, and enjoyed spending time with them.  She especially loved her grandchildren, helping to raise most of them.  She was also a UK Basketball fan!

Clara entered quietly into sweet rest on August 26, 2022 at the age of 87 years.

In addition to her parents, Clara was preceded in death by four sisters, Virginia Davis, Margaret Banks, Lucille Barker, and Mary Bradshaw.  One granddaughter, Shermene Sharp.

She leaves to forever cherish her memory, her loving and devoted husband of 51 years, Jesse L. Gray, Jr. Four Daughters; Marcia (Cletus) Johnson, Hopkinsville, Deborah Jones, Evansville, IN, Carol (Jerald) Gould, Killeen, TX Regina Kelly, Hopkinsville, KY.  Two sons; Sherwood Grinter, Las Vegas, NV and Larry (Angela) Grinter, Elkton, KY.  Three sisters; Barbara Johnson, Joyce Davis, and Sally Winston, all of Hopkinsville.  Three Brothers; Pervis Roy Davis, Atlanta, GA, James Davis, Huntsville, AL and Frederick Davis, Hopkinsville; 16 Grandchildren, 39 Great Grandchildren, 5 Great, Great Grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives.