MAX GRAY

Max Gray of Concord, Alabama passed away on September 5, 2024. Max was a one-of-a-kind, brilliant and curious, playful, warm, loving and loyal thrill-seeker, risk-taker, adventure-lover who lived life WFO. Born March 21, 1960, Max was the youngest child and only son of WJ Gray and Latha Hamner Gray. He grew up in Concord and graduated from Hueytown High School. He worked for over 30 years at Haley Machine & Tool Co. in Hueytown. He loved Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. He loved motocross, his motocross family and doing wheelies on his Yamaha. He did gainers off the cliff of Blue Hole strip pits and loved underwater diving. Max loved skydiving and indoor skydiving - a sport he was eager to share with everyone. He made annual trips to “fly” and he made sure we all had a turn in the wind tunnel - even Granny Gray and Hatchet Dog. He loved fireworks and was a self-taught rocket scientist who built and shot all kinds of rockets (if you knew Max for any length of time at some point you shot a rocket with him.) He loved to blow stuff up. But what Max loved the most were his friends. He built life-long friendships. He loved making memories with friends, sharing his adventures, escapades, and infamous Halloween parties. He was an animal lover and was dedicated to his dogs. He had a big, kind, generous, giving heart and he was always there to be a friend to anyone - or thing - in need. Max was a beloved son, father, brother, and uncle. He has has reunited with his mother, father, and sister Janann Durham, who all preceded him in death. He is survived by his son, Jonathan Gray (Bo), sister Paula Harris, nephew Michael Durham, nieces Cheryl Harris, Jennifer Ellison and Christa Garner, great-nieces and nephews, cousins, other family and his companions, Nolie and Samson. The visitation will be Wednesday, September 11, 2024, from 9:30 AM until 10:30 AM, at Peoples Chapel Funeral Home. The graveside service be at 11:00 AM at Valhalla Cemetery. A celebration of life for all friends and family will be held at a later time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation in Max’s memory to the animal rescue or charity of your choice.