About Us
About Us
On June 1, 1978, a new funeral home, Gray Memorial Chapel, was opened in the former Smith establishment in Wood River. The building was built in 1926 specifically as a funeral home by the Streeper Funeral Home family. Shortly after opening, it was realized that people were mistaking Gray Memorial Chapel for a church, so the name was changed to Gray Funeral Home. Two South Roxana Brothers, Laren A. and Glen D. Gray, purchased the building at 205 E. Lorena Ave. and remodeled the facility, opening it on June 1, 1978.
Laren and Glen were both born in Alton. Laren graduated from Roxana High School in 1961, and Glen graduated from Roxana High School in 1965. Both Laren and Glen are U.S. Army veterans drafted two weeks apart in 1966 and serving during the Vietnam War. After returning home, they went back to their jobs at McDonnell-Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, MO. In 1972, Laren, his wife, the former Debbi Miller, and their daughter, Glen, his wife, the former Janice Boswell, and their daughter and son moved to Carbondale, Illinois, to attend the Mortuary Science program at Southern Illinois University, where they received an Associate's degree. Passing the State of Illinois requirements, they received their Funeral Director-Embalmer license. Laren and Glen worked for the same funeral home in Sullivan, Illinois over 3 years before opening Gray Funeral Home. Managing the office at Gray Funeral Home was David R. Smith, a brother-in-law of the Grays. He was born and raised in East Alton and graduated in 1960 from East Alton-Wood River High School. David attended Forest Park College in St. Louis and, after receiving his Associate's degree in Mortuary Science and meeting the Illinois State requirements, he received his Funeral Director-Embalmer license. He and his wife, the former Karen Gray, lived in East Alton with their two children. December 23, 1999, Laren unexpectedly passed away at age 57. Debbie lives in Missouri. She and Laren were married for over 30 years and have 2 daughters and sons-in-law, a son and his wife, 3 grandsons, and 2 granddaughters all living in Missouri. David retired after 28 years and passed away on January 22, 2014. Karen passed away January 19, 2019. She and David were married over 51 years and have a daughter, son-in-law, and grandson living in Georgia; a son in East Alton, and 4 granddaughters and great-grandchildren living in Kentucky. Sadly, Glen passed away on December 31, 2016. Glen and Janice have been married for 51 years. Glen served the community for over 38 years with the same compassion and integrity that the Gray family will continue in his memory. Janice, their son Stephen, his wife Denise (McClintock), and four grandchildren, Jacob & Bene', Caleb, Hannah, and Levi. Stephen has been a licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer since 1992. He also pastors Discovery Family Church in Collinsville, Illinois.
