Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Jack Grayson

Jack Taylor Grayson, 75, died December 22, 2003.

He was born October 13, 1928, in Prescott to Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Grayson.

He graduated from Bluff City High School and attended Magnolia A&M College and the University of Arkansas.

He married Melba Lou Ballard of Magnolia on August 31, 1947, and had four sons, Richard Darien Grayson and Jack Taylor Grayson, Jr. now deceased, Larry Joe Grayson, Remmel Miron Grayson, and one daughter, Tamie Maria Moore.

He was a member of the Star City Presbyterian Church for some 49 years and served as an elder for 38 years. He was a 33rd degree Mason for more than 50 years and was a member of Branchville Lodge No. 256.

From 1948 until 1953, Jack taught "on the farm training" to veterans of WWII under the government "Veterans Agri Program". His entire life was spent working in the agriculture field. Jack worked for 32 years for the United States Department of Agriculture. In 1954, Jack moved to Star City to work for the USDA as County Executive Director for the Lincoln County ASCS Office. He worked in Lincoln County for 16 years, was District Director over nine counties for three years, and Jefferson County CED for 13 years.

He was president of the Star City Optimist Club, when the club started the youth baseball program. He was president of the Star City Chamber of Commerce and Boy Scout Troop No. 46 leader. He served on the Star City School Board for 15 years, as president and secretary, when the new vocation-agri building and middle school were built, and millage was passed for the new gym and elementary building, which were nearing completion at the time he was retired from the board. He also helped the Booster Club build the new field house. He was a member of the Arkansas School Board Association and elected president of ASBA before he was retired.

He coached Little League baseball and loved football and track. The boys looked for his old red truck to show up for football practice every afternoon. If he failed to make practice, they would ask, "where's the old red truck today?"

Jack dearly loved the school, the county, the town, and the people.

His first loves were God, family and the church.

Jack is survived by his wife of 56 years, Melba; sons, Larry Joe and wife Nancy of Star City, Remmel Miron and wife Sandy of McGehee; one daughter, Tamie Maria Moore and husband Raymond Moore of Star City; 11 grandchildren, Christa Spanel of Heber Springs, Jack Taylor Grayson, III of St. Joseph, La., Larry Joe Grayson, Jr. of Brackettsville, Tex., Deanda Weast, of Star City, Corey Grayson and Remmel Miron Grayson, Jr. of McGehee, and Grayson Moore of Star City; 10 great-grandchildren, Madaline and Ashly Spanel, Jordan and Ally Grayson, Griffin and Tyler Elizabeth Grayson and Kai Lani Glass, Chandler Weast, Jaxson Hoyt, and Paige Thompson; two sisters, Evelyn Hildebrand and Frances Harvey of Prescott; one brother, Bob Grayson of Nashville, Tenn.; three nieces and two nephews.

Jack was preceded in death by two sons, Jack Taylor, Jr. and Richard Darien, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Grayson.

Funeral services were 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 24, 2003, at the First Presbyterian Church at Star City with Alford Branch officiating, burial was in the Best Cemetery near Star City by Griffin Funeral Service of Star City.