Roland Anthony "Tony" Gray

This is a courtesy announcement.

Roland Anthony “Tony” Gray, a veteran and resident of Florida, passed away on June 22, 2021. Tony was the son of Roland and Olive Gray. He graduated from Chapman High School and was a member of Holden Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. He went to the University of Alabama to play football before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force for twenty-one years. Tony then began his career in law enforcement with the New York City Police Department where he served as an officer. He rose to the rank of detective until his retirement. Tony moved to Florida where he continued his law enforcement career with the Bay Harbor Islands Police Department. There he was also promoted to the rank of detective. Tony then moved to the Division of Investigative and Forensic Services as a detective with the Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives Investigations in the Jacksonville field office. Tony transferred to the Tallahassee field office to accept the K-9 detective position where he was assigned to work with accelerant detection canine, (ADC) Mumsie. Tony served twenty-eight years in law enforcement until his retirement. Tony was preceded in death by his father, Roland Gray of NY and his grandparents, Otis and Matsie Jackson of SC. He is survived by his mother, Olive Gray of NY; his brother, Reginald (Jernelle) Lorde-Gray of GA; his children, Nikiya Tucker of FL and Leshawn Roberts of SC; little buddy, Pascal Pratt of FL; as well as six grandchildren; one niece; two nephews; aunts; uncles; cousins; and a host of loved ones and friends. Tony touched the lives of all he came in contact with and will be greatly missed.  The viewing will be held on Thursday, July 1, 2021, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm at Smith's Funeral Home of Florence, 307 S. Johns Street, Florence, SC with a ceremony at 12 noon followed by the interment at 2:00 pm at the Florence National Cemetery, 1001 1001 Stockdale Drive, Florence, SC.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Roland Anthony "Tony" Gray, please visit our floral store.