Carolyn A. Gray

Carterville - Carolyn Gray died February 17, 2014 at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. Carolyn was born in Tahlequah, OK on August 10, 1939 to Richard A. and Mabel (Dudley) Linam. She moved to Rockford in 1961 and married Henry John Gray in 1964. Carolyn retired from the Rockford Public Library after 37 years in children's services where she loved promoting the love of reading through story hours and other programming for children. She chaired the summer reading clubs for more than 20 years, was a member of the Illinois Library Association and in 1997 served as co-chair of IREAD Task Force. She moved to Carterville in 2012 to be close to family. She found joy in reading, container gardening, cooking for family and friends but especially being with her grandchildren and driving to Chicago for lunch and shopping with family, Mary Gray, June Grzebieniak and beloved nieces Darci, Lisa, Cyndi and Kelley. Carolyn is survived by her two sons, David (Marissa) Gray and John (Randi) Gray; grandchildren, Jackson, Madison and Brandon; brother, R. Lee (Marilyn) Linam; sister Aileen Linam; and treasured friends Ann Rask, Lois and Dave Proudfoot, Josie Peebles, Diane Melan and Maryann Sarver. She is preceded in death by her husband, two sister's Mary Linam and Lou Webb and a brother, Nolen Linam. Carolyn will be missed by the many people she touched. A memorial service will be at a later date. Memorial donations are the preferred form of remembrance and may be made to the Good Samaritan House, 701 S. Marion St., Carbondale, IL 62901 and will also be accepted by Meredith Funeral Home, Carbondale.