After 25 years, a headstone has finally been put in place for Chris Gray after a fundraising effort by fellow classmates. Gray was a Howe resident who died in late 1990 from heart complications that he had suffered through since early childhood.
This project was initiated by classmate Laynie Williams who was in Howe showing her children where she was from. Williams, cited being led by God to the cemetery, noticed that letters were missing from Gray’s 25-year-old temporary marker. This led her to contact the family and ask if she could do a fundraiser to get a permanent headstone in place for her friend.
“I don’t want this to be about me at all.” said Williams. “I want to give God the glory for this.”
Williams visited with Elisha Tomberlin Bidwell in Austin they decided to contact people from their class and their community to raise funds for the project. It started with a Facebook page dedicated to the project which quickly stirred up emotions from not only classmates, but from neighborhood childhood friends of Gray such as Todd White. A GoFundMe account saw the $600 quickly raised. “It all just fell in to place.” said Williams.
“I don’t feel like I chose to do that. I feel like I was led to do this. I think we’re all led. We just have to listen. I’m just glad I heard Him.” said Williams.
Williams contacted Love Monuments of Sherman to get an estimate of the headstone that was needed so that they would have a goal to raise. The goal turned out to be $600. The final bill was $596 and the headstone was put in place on Thursday late morning at Hall Cemetery.
