Jaylie Kate Gray

A graveside service for Jaylie Kate Gray, age 18, of Rusk is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept.15, 2020, at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Rusk. The Rev. Paul Gates will officiate. Visitation will be 2-3 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, at Wallace-Thompson Funeral Home-Rusk.

Jaylie was born Sept. 6, 2002, in Jacksonville, Texas. She passed on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. Jaylie was a senior at Rusk High School. Like most teenage girls, she enjoyed talking on the phone, social media and hanging out with friends. She loved camping, road trips and going to the lake. She loved her friends and family tremendously but the love of her life was her 8-month-old son Elijah, whom she loved fiercely. Her memory will forever live on through him. "Without an understanding of bad…how can one truly have an appreciation of good?" - Kevin Gates

Jaylie was preceded in death by her father, Jason W. Gray; her grandmother, Sharon L. New; grandfather, James D. Gray; great-grandfather, James Gray; great-grandfather, Gary N. Starkey Sr.; and sister, Julia Patton.

Jaylie is survived by her son, Elijah K. Gray; her mother, Kathryn G. McDonald and husband Bryan McDonald; sisters, Ally Gray, Katlynn McDonald and Makenzie Foster; brothers, Jason D. Gray, Kade McDonald and Kelton McDonald; grandfather, Daniel T. New; grandmother, Vanessa Foster and husband Joe Foster; aunts, uncles, cousins; and many friends.

Pallbearers will include Daniel T. New Jr., Daniel Albert New, Michael Gray, Wesley McDonald, Josh Langston, Jordan Langston and Sammy Click.