Freddy Leonard Gray

Freddy Leonard Gray passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Claude at the age of 77.

Cremation will be under the care of Robertson Funeral Directors, and memorial services will be held at a later date.

Fred was born in Clarendon on March 27, 1948, in the Adair Hospital to Jack and Freida (Putman) Gray, and he grew up in Clarendon until the fourth grade when his family moved to Lubbock. He graduated from Monterey High School there and later earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Most of his career was spent in sales of one form or another. In early years, he worked in capital markets as an institutional fixed income investment salesman. In later years, he was a salesman of products and services for corporate leadership and business management functions.

Fred was a student of history and loved reading about and discussing the subject. He was a keen political observer and was not afraid to express his opinions. He also had a passion for what he called “The Beautiful Game” – soccer. In the early 1990s, Fred was the public relations director for the Salt Lake Sting, a short-lived professional soccer team based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Following retirement and health issues, Fred returned home to Clarendon more than 20 years ago, in his words, “to die.” Donley County was the place he loved the most, and it was his desire to spend whatever time he had left near family and friends.

However, realizing that he was not dying right away, Fred signed on as a columnist, reporter, and sportswriter for The Clarendon Enterprise in 2012. In 2013, his writing helped the Enterprise win the first place Best Editorial Page award from the West Texas Press Association, and his “The Quick, The Dead, & Fred” column won first place in Column Writing. He loved the purpose of the Fourth Estate, was a defender of the Press, and was proud of his time at the Enterprise. He reveled in reporting or opining about controversy and did not shy away from tough subjects.

Ultimately, illness and disease caught up with Fred, and he entered into hospice care of his own choosing with the confident anticipation of a grand reunion and followed his path to eternal peace.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Cindy.

He is survived by his children – Lance, Kyle, and Natalie; two brothers, Barry and Danny; five grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; a host of cousins; and several friends – particularly Elmonette Bivens, Roger Estlack, and Randy Bullard, his best friend for 60 years. Fred was also particularly grateful for the compassion, companionship, and care shown by cousins Kathy Holland and Ashlee Estlack.

Fred would not want his friends and family to be sad and would likely say the best way to honor his memory is to live your own life to the fullest and not take things too seriously.