Owen Jackson Gray III, age 82, welder, livestock trailer builder, and lifetime resident of San Angelo, took off his welding helmet, laid down his torch, and took the hand of his Lord on Thursday, September 4th, 2025. Arrangements are with Harper Funeral Home of San Angelo.
The visitation will be Thursday, September 11th from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, at Harper Funeral Home. The funeral service will be on Friday, September 12th at 3:00 PM at Harper Funeral Home, officiated by Jay Johnson, Pastor of San Angelo Cowboy Church. Burial will follow in Johnson's Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens.
Third generation in a line of blacksmiths, welders and trailer builders, all named Owen Gray, Owen Jackson Gray, Ill, was born June 18, 1943, to Owen Jackson Gray, Jr, and Jimmie Mae McCarley Gray in the old San Angelo Clinic Hospital delivered by Dr DD Wall. He was baptized in the First Baptist Church of San Angelo, where he attended most of his life with his family, but in later years faithfully went to the San Angelo Cowboy Church. Owen was a 1961 graduate of Central High School and attended San Angelo College, now Angelo State University. At Central he played Bobcat football and was on the rodeo team bull riding and bareback bronc busting. One of his favorite sayings became "This Ain't My First Rodeo!"
Owen's grandfather, Owen Jackson Gray, first started the family iron working trade at Doole, Texas in a little blacksmith shop that still stands next to the old home place. His father, Owen Jackson Gray, Jr, started a small blacksmith shop in Sonora in the early years of his parents' marriage, where his mother worked alongside him, sitting on a stool beside a fire and kept their ledger of accounts by hand with pencil and paper. This blacksmith shop produced a few early trailers and grew to what was to become Gray Welding and Trailer Works in 1933 located on South Oakes in San Angelo. In 1956, the business was relocated to 1212 North Bell Street and was later renamed West Texas Trailer Company. Owen worked for his dad in the shop from the time he could push a broom and sweep the floors. When his dad passed away in 1964, Owen assumed most of the operation of the company under his mother, Jimmie's keen eye and management. He put his heart and soul into the business for 60 years, producing new trailers to be delivered all over the country, refurbishing old trailers and doing repair jobs. He was a master welder, sandblaster and painter. He truly loved his work and gave 110% of his time and effort to his customers. His father had started the livestock trailer legacy, but Owen carried it through, being known as "the trailer man on Bell Street." The company is still located on Bell Street, and he was still going to the shop daily and working at 81 years old until his decline in health.
A 44-year member of the Masonic Lodge and a 32nd degree Master Mason, he belonged to Lodges 1260 and 570 in San Angelo. He served twice as Worshipful Master of Lodge 1260. He also held membership in the Scottish and York Rites and Commandery. He was a Shriner and member of the Suez Shrine Temple of San Angelo. He was proud to be part of the Scottish Rite and Shrine because of their funding and operating specialized children's hospitals for burns, orthopedic, and other serious health issues free of charge to their parents. Owen was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and a Past Worthy Patron of San Angelo Concho 826 Chapter.
Owen loved his God, his family, Jeanne, and his work. He adored his only child, daughter Tammie Ann Gray Regelean, and was very proud of her being a teacher with academic accomplishments including her master's degree and administrative certificate. He was proud of the life and home she and husband David Regelean, built together for the two of them and their children, his two granddaughters, Chloe and Isabella Regelean, and of all of them individually and collectively, for their many accomplishments including their work ethics, education, and all four having college degrees.
He loved traveling, train rides and camping in the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado in his little motorhome with his best friend and loving companion of over 30 years, Jeanne Jackson. Those were some of his happiest days. He and Jeanne had been friends for over 60 years, so they always had plenty to talk about. His favorite trips were on the old trains with the coal-fueled steam engines, the Silverton and Chama. They had planned a trip to the Alaskan Yukon on the Skagway train, but that was not to be. He loved camping in the Ruidoso, New Mexico area and doing some trout fishing. One of his favorite camping adventures was when he, Tammie, and the two young granddaughters embarked on a motor home trip to Yellowstone National Park. The three girls and Grandpa had a lot of stories to tell about that trip! But the ultimate highlight of his traveling was in 2013 when he flew into Tel Aviv, Israel and spent 14 days on a tour of the Holy Land. Even though he went on the tour alone, he was fortunate to have a man from San Angelo as his roommate. He marveled at walking where Jesus had walked and being rebaptized in the Jordan River, where his Jesus was baptized. He was an avid reader, especially history books and the Bible. He had read the Good Book many times over, though his vision had diminished, he could always be found with his big red Bible on his lap, even during his rehab and hospital stays. Jeanne had given him the large print issue, and he treasured it.
Owen lived and enjoyed life to the fullest in a robust manner, living with joy in his heart. His redneck hearty laughter was evidenced by the large laugh lines in the corners of his big green eyes. He was a very conservative man, loved Jesus, John Wayne and Donald Trump. He was always seen with his trademark red bandana hanging out his back jeans pocket. He was plain spoken and always stood up for his beliefs, even when not the most popular stance at the time. He was always available to help his family and friends with his massive strength, skills, trailers or any other resources available. We will miss him sorely in our hearts and lives, but as Owen and John Wayne would say: "A Man's Gotta Do What a Man's Gotta Do!"
He was preceded in death by his parents, his paternal grandparents, Owen Jackson Gray and Laura Meshew Gray, and his maternal grandparents, Thomas Jefferson McCarley and Carrie Ada Brister McCarley: also, by his brother, Richard Ludlow Gray, his sister Reba O'liene Gray, and nieces Kay Gray Adams and Denise Gray Stone. He was also preceded in death by many special friends, including Alfred Ashley, Athur (Sam) Worbington and Frank Dales, of San Angelo, and Jeanne’s daughter, Juile Jackson Richardson, of Ballinger.
He is survived by daughter Tammie Ann Regelean and husband David Regelean, of Dallas, his two granddaughters, Chloe Kathryn Regelean and Isabella Claire Regelean, all of Dallas, and his soul mate, Sylvia J (Jeanne) Barina Jackson. He is also survived by two sisters, Freda Mae Connell of Spring and Carrie Janette Aldridge of San Angelo, one stepson, Anthony (Tony) Schneider, of San Angelo, several nephews and nieces, and their families, Tammie's mother, Hilary Vokes McDaniel of China Springs, and special friends, Mike (Cactus Mike) Mosmans of San Angelo and Brady Richardson, of Ballinger. He is also survived by Jeanne’s children, Bonnie and David Alford of Carlsbad, NM, Jerry Jackson of San Angelo, and their children and grandchildren, including Allie Jackson of San Angelo, Owen’s special teen helper/barber/shopper during his final days.
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