On April 5th, 1929, God sent an angel to the couple of George and Leola (Ross) Gray. They named her Idella, which in Welsh means "Beautiful". Being the1st girl of 8 boys and 2 girls, she took on a host of responsibilities that were customary for the eldest girl. Life wasn't easy in the early '30s growing up, but it helped shaped Idella's character. Helping her mother with younger siblings and giving as well as receiving love developed a fierce maternal instinct that she would carry on to her children.

While in school at Sacred Heart, she would do laundry and help clean the nun's convent and priest's rectory to pay for her youngest siblings' tuition. It was while she was in high school that she met her life's love, Terrence Raymond Landry. After graduating in the class of 1946, she got engaged and married (Raymond) in 1951. In 1954 the couple had their 1st child, Terrence Landry Jr., and in 1956 a second child, Cheryl Ann Landry.

On one cold January night, she would get a knock on the door from law enforcement telling her of a tragic incident. She had lost her soul mate in an automobile accident while he was returning from work. Pregnant for her third child, she was devastated, but because of all her responsibilities put on the strongest face possible and took on the responsibility of mother and father. It is unthinkable how hard it must have been for a young black woman during the civil rights era with two children, Terrence 10, and Cheryl 8 years old with multiple handicaps and pregnant for a 3rd child to make it, but she did.

She worked as an elevator operator at the Pioneer building and then as a mail clerk for the Camp Carmouche Law Firm. Armed with a smile on her face and a heart of gold, she became friends with her co-workers who 'till this day love her dearly as she loved them. She always led by example. She put her kids through private school on a modest budget. Working her day job, and cleaning office buildings on nights and weekends she did what most would consider impossible. After the law firm dissolved, she worked as a school crossing guard where she touched the lives of so many children. She loved children and enjoyed interacting with them until she retired at the age of 89.

Through her, I have learned that almost anything is possible if you put your all into it. My name is Gerald. I was the child she was pregnant for when she lost my dad. In her extreme stress during her pregnancy for me, it's very possible that I ended up with asthma as a result. I don't blame her. I wear it as a badge of honor that I was able to feel and share her emotions even though I wasn't born yet. We all loved our mom with all our hearts. I am blessed to have been able to be the one to take care of her for a change. After a lifetime of selfless devotion and loving care for others, I am so proud and honored to be able to be there when she was in her time of need. She had four beautiful grandchildren: Lauren, Terrance (Greg), Gerald II, and Vincent. They all brought so much joy to her. Sometimes she would just show up at our houses and kidnap our kids who fought so hard not to go to  Dada's house where she set up a huge playroom with endless toys and games as well as rolling on the floor playing with them. They would put on a good show not to hurt our feelings but would quickly dart off to her car.

She was preceded in going home by her parents, George Gray and Leola (Ross) Gray, of Lake Charles; her husband, Terrence Raymond Landry; son, Terrence Landry Jr.; and daughter, Cheryl Ann Landry; and granddaughters, Lauren Michele Landry, and Ebony Bellard; her siblings, Melvin Gray, Sr., Norman Gray, Chester Gray, George Gray, Geraldine Gray-Green, Harold Gray, Leonard Gray, and Richard Gray.

Her loving memories will always be cherished by her brother, Tommy Gray of El Paso, TX; youngest son, Gerald Landry (Bernadette) of Lake Charles, La.; grandchildren, Kristi Goodwin, Terrance, Gerald, II, and Vincent Landry, all of Lake Charles; and other relatives and friends.

Thanks to her dear co-workers at the law firm that became and remain her dear friends. Thanks to her neighbors who always looked out for her and asked about her. Finally thank God for sharing her with the world for 93 years.