Mickey Starling
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Jefferson County Property Appraiser Angela Gray has been selected as the 2021 Parade Grand Marshal for the Watermelon Festival Parade, which takes place on Saturday, June 19. Gray has been a resident of Jefferson County since she was five years old and is a beloved member of the community.
She is also no stranger to the Watermelon Festival, having served as the Watermelon Queen in 1989. Gray was an overwhelming favorite for the position of grand marshal, which was evident in the large number of nominations she received. The support of the community is just a token of appreciation for all of the hard work and service that Gray has given to Jefferson County residents.
Most recently, Gray spearheaded the CARES Act COVID-19 funding for the county. This proved to be a daunting task for Gray, directing the $2,658,740 into all of the public health, safety and critical economic relief needs for local businesses and non-profits in the community. “It was a lot of work, but it was well worth the effort,” said Gray, who is accustomed to devoting much of her efforts in bettering Jefferson County. She currently serves with the Monticello Rotary Club, the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, the Jefferson Outreach for Youth and many other organizations.
Gray's commitment to give back to her community has its roots in her childhood. Her mother was from Okinawa, Japan and did not speak English. “She learned English with me,” said Gray, whose father was retired from the military and abusive at times. When Gray completed middle school, her mother took drastic measures to keep her children safe and moved temporarily back to Japan. She promised to return as soon as her husband “cooled off.” Gray's mother felt strongly that her children's best chances for success would be found in America.
When the family returned, life wasn't easy. “We didn't have much,” remembers Gray. “A lot of people helped us. The whole community came together when my step-dad had a stroke and helped him by building a wheelchair ramp and helping with other needs. Because of all the love that had been shown to us, I wanted to give back.” Her long track record of service to the citizens of Jefferson County is evidence of that commitment.
“I am very humbled to be selected as the Grand Marshal,” said Gray. It really means a lot to me.”
This year's Watermelon Festival Parade will be a reminder to Gray that she also means a lot to the folks in Jefferson County. Enjoying the festivities with her will be her husband, Sean and her children: Jacob and Isabella.