Colleen Elizabeth Blaylock McCoy Gray, 85, went to be with the Lord on June 29, 2022. Colleen was born in Winston Salem, North Carolina to the late George Monroe and Pauline Hudson Blaylock. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her first husband and father of her children, Jesse E. McCoy, Sr. and by her second husband, Walter Irvin Gray. She was also preceded by her brother, Grady Monroe Blaylock and granddaughter, Kayla Elizabeth Perez.
Colleen loved Jesus and His church. She accepted Jesus as her Savior and was baptized when she was just a child. She was involved in many different churches over the years and was a member of Indian River Baptist Church for more than 50 years where she taught Sunday School, kept children in the Nursery, and sang in the choir. Most recently, she was a member of Discovery Church in Virginia Beach.
Colleen loved children. She was the first licensed, certified, in-home, child-care provider in the City of Chesapeake, VA. For more than 40 years, and in addition to her own four children, she helped to raise over 65 other children including many children of teachers in the Chesapeake school system. She was actively involved in the lives of her children helping to organize many school events and activities, supporting their sports and cheerleading activities, and by giving a firm foundation for which they could build their lives. She also served in the roles of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer of the PTA over many years, sometimes at different schools simultaneously.
Colleen was also part of a three-generation family legacy of employees with Roses Department Stores. Having worked in various positions throughout several locations, she retired from Roses as the Office Manager at the College Park store (Virginia Beach) in December of 2021 after 33 years. She was an accomplished seamstress having the gift of making clothes without patterns or even after seeing something hanging on a clothes rack. She crocheted many baby blankets, booties, and sweaters, she enjoyed macrame and cross-stitching, and she had an incredible green thumb. Plants were one of her greatest hobbies and she found much enjoyment tending to her vast collection of potted plants and succulents.
Left to cherish her memory are her loving children, daughters: Kathleen McCoy Monson, Elisa Charleen Rath (husband Bill), Kayleen Elizabeth Gipson (husband Jimmy), and son: Jesse E. McCoy, Jr. (wife Sharon), sister: Jane Marie Meadows, grandchildren: Joshua Kenneth Elliot Monson, Jacob Allen Shane Monson, Rachel Anna Colleen Monson Hamilton, Sara Kyleen Martinson, Amanda Chaleen Baldwin, Kathryn Michele Bender, Kaitlyn Elizabeth Perez, Zachary David Perez and eight great grandchildren.
A service to celebrate her life will be held at Graham Funeral Home Tuesday, July 5, 2022. The family will receive guests at 11:00 am and the service will begin at 12:00 pm with Pastor Bert Kirk officiating. Entombment will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, Chesapeake. Due to the family having many allergies, it is requested that no flowers be given. If you would like to make a donation in lieu of flowers, please consider Indian River Baptist Church (www.indianriverbaptist.com) or Discovery Church (www.discoverychurchvb.org).
Please visit www.grahamfuneralhome.com to view the service if unable to attend and to express condolences to the family.