Barbara Sue Perry Gray, 77, of Cape Carteret passed away on Wednesday, February 2, 2022.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert Earl “Rabbit” Perry and Virginia Hoffman Perry.

Left to cherish her memory is her husband, Marvin H. Gray of the home; daughter, Jeanne Kaye Gray (Kris) of Emerald Isle; son, Jeffrey Gray (Nicole) of Manhasset, NY; grandchildren, Rachel, Reed, Jesse, Emily and Henry; sister, Mary Martin Bell (Jack) of Stella.

Barbara Sue was a devoted wife, loving mother and doting Grammy. She found her soulmate in Marvin and they were the perfect example of Christian love and marriage for 58 years. You could find her in the stands cheering at all of Jeanne’s sporting events. She was Jeffrey’s biggest fan and could not have been more proud of his military career as a pilot. Once the grandchildren came along, she blossomed into an adoring Grammy and spent as much time with them as she could. If you knew her, it is likely that you were shown the many pictures she always carried with her.

She was a happy homemaker throughout her life, well known for her good cooking, especially chocolate pies and banana pudding. She also worked as a office manager in several different dental offices and briefly at DuPont.

Filled with a sense of adventure, she and Marvin enjoyed traveling throughout the United States. From FL to Maine, WA to CA and in between to CO, UT, NM and AZ. They even made it to Hawaii, where she met her TV crush, Magnum PI (Tom Selleck).

Prior to being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2015, some of her happiest times were spent with a fishing pole in her hands. No matter who she was fishing with, most days she caught the first fish, the last fish and usually the biggest fish. She loved to teach kids how to fish and shared in their excitement when they caught one. She had an uncanny knack for finding “soft sand fleas” which she used as bait when surf fishing. When not in the surf, she enjoyed fishing from her “Baby Boat” that she could put in and take out herself.

Barbara Sue never met a stranger. Whether she was on the beach, in a restaurant or walking down the street, she found it easy to strike up a conversation. She “adopted” many of these strangers and turned them into lifelong friends, treating them like family.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, February 6, 2022 at Emerald Isle Baptist Church with Rev. Freddie Braswell officiating. Visitation will be held following the memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Emerald Isle Baptist Church (P.O. Box 5000, Emerald Isle, NC 28594) or Fishin’ For A Cure (7503 Sound Drive, Emerald Isle, NC 28594).