Wiley Fred Grayson died Wednesday, June 3, 2009. He was 87.

Born in Winnsboro, La., Mr. Grayson moved to Vicksburg after serving in the Coast Guard in World War II. He was a property manager for Waterways Experiment Station until his retirement in 1987.

He was a member of Gibson Memorial United Methodist Church, where he founded the Grayson Sunday school class and taught for more than 25 years. He was past chairman of numerous boards and committees.

He served as past master of the W.H. Stevens Masonic Lodge.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wiley B. Grayson; three sisters, Odene Williams and Erlene Piazza, both of Vicksburg, and Beulah Bargass of Houston, Texas; and one brother, Leonard Grayson of New Orleans.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marie Hoffman Grayson; three daughters, Cherry Hudson, Jeanne Deen and Helen McGehee, all of Vicksburg; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Glenwood Funeral Home with the Revs. Greg Hazlerig and T. Ed High-tower officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be at the funeral home from noon Friday until the service.

Pallbearers will be Rich Cooper, Hillary Westbrook, Brian Chewning, Bruce Cutting and grandsons Michael Hudson and Gray McGehee.

Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Dewey Purser, Bill Curtis, Paul Kimball and members of the Grayson Sunday school class.

Memorials may be made to Gibson Memorial United Methodist Church or to a favorite charity.