B. Margaret Pyles

Margaret Pyles, known to everyone as ‘Grandma’, departed this life on February 12, 2022.  She was born September 22, 1925 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to father John Thomas and mother Mammie Bright who was born on a Choctaw Indian Reservation in Oklahoma.  Her parents named her after her grandmother Margaret.  She had 4 brothers and 3 sisters, all who preceded her in death.  After graduating from Booker T. Washington High School, she married Thornton T. Gray Sr. and relocated to Kansas City, Missouri.

Taking piano lessons as a very young child, she developed a love for music and expanded her instrument experience to include the violin and bugle. However, it was later in life as an adult that she attended the prestigious Conservatory of Music in Kansas City to perfect her playing skills on the organ, the instrument she said God called and anointed her for. She was well known for her ability to tinkle the black and whites of the piano, but mostly for making a Hammond B3 jump and walk! Going on to become the Minster of Music at Universal Spiritual Church of Jesus Christ, Paradise Missionary Baptist Church, and Greater Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Margaret actively played music for the Lord until he called her home.

Margaret worked for Milgram’s Business Office headquartered in Kansas City as a Bookkeeper until she retired in 1985.   During retirement, she lived life to its fullest.  She was a traveler until the day she left us.  She enjoyed telling jokes, playing games, puzzle books, yelling for the KC Chiefs on game day, cleaning, folding clothes, listening to music, playing music, eating sweets, playing with all her babies, and loved World Wrestling.  You could hear her hollering down the street when wrestling was on.

Margaret is preceded in death by her son, Thornton T. Gray Jr.; daughters, Patricia Ann Ross, and Paula Surprise Gray.

She leaves to cherish her special memories, daughters, Mary Ashley (Milton), and Sheila Thomas (Warren); son, Glenn Gray; grandchildren, Angela Ashley, Stacy Golden (John), Nicole Ross, Sheria Howard (David), Glenn Gray Jr., Courtney Gray, Jordan Gray, Megan Gray, Tara Johnson, Eugene Thomas (Dominique), Warren Thomas II., Erin Thomas, and Rachael Thomas.  She also had 20 great-grandchildren and 9 great great-grandchildren.

She truly left an impression on everyone who came to know her.  We will all miss her immensely and will forever keep her close to our hearts.