George Henry Gray

George Henry Gray was born in Enterprise, Mississippi to John Henry and Essie Mae Gray. He moved to Biloxi in the early 1960s where he was a real estate investor, purchasing his first property in 1968. Better known, and quite renowned along the Coast, for his welding skills, Mr. Gray established his welding business, Gray’s Welding and Iron Works. As a result of his top-quality skills, he was appointed to assemble and weld one of his most cherished pieces – the original “Golden Fisherman” designed by Ocean Springs artist Harry Del Reeks.

For decades, Mr. Gray’s skill was sought by numerous notable families in the seafood industry, such as the Gollott, Desporte, Fayard, Mavar, Ross, Shemper and Marinovich families. His mastery for restoring and maintaining shrimp and fishing vessels, conveyor belts, automated shrimp peeling machines, and much more made him an invaluable asset to the maritime and seafood industries.

However, George Henry Gray was not only admired for his technical skills, but also for his benevolence. He and his wife, Ada, served as foster parents, in addition to raising their own family. His humility and benevolence were evident in his contributions to charitable and worthy causes which included St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Having come from humble beginnings, George was always eager to mentor others in his craft and willing to inspire, encourage and empower others. This mentorship is evident in his children as they became the founders of “Visions of Hope”, a local nonprofit that served the community for more than 18 years.

Mr. Gray passed away in 2016, following a tragic accident, but his legacy will forever be remembered with his induction into the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum’s Heritage Hall of Fame.