Valentine’s Day tradition continued by family of late Fort Myers Beach Marine

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Using coconuts to celebrate the holidays was a time-honored tradition of the late Fort Myers Beach resident and U.S. Marine Capt. Jay Gray. That tradition is living on with his daughter Lisa Gray Jones, of Fort Myers Beach. She painted these coconuts on her Fort Myers Beach recently to celebrate Valentine's Day. Photo provided

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Lisa Jones (left) and dad John "Jay" Gray run in the Edison Festival of Lights in Fort Myers. Gray was known for running the streets of Fort Myers Beach well into his 80's before he died. Photo provided

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Using coconuts to celebrate the holidays was a time-honored tradition of the late Fort Myers Beach resident and U.S. Marine Capt. Jay Gray. That tradition is living on with his daughter Lisa Gray Jones, of Fort Myers Beach. His daughter recently decorated her Fort Myers Beach yard with fallen coconuts painted red in the shape of a heart to celebrate Valentine’s Day this weekend.

“We still decorate with all the fallen coconuts,” Jones said. “This heart is for Happy Valentines day!”

Her father Capt. Jay Gray served in the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War and was a longtime runner across Fort Myers Beach. He was the third of four family members to have served in the U.S. military dating back to the Civil War, a tradition continued by Capt. Gray’s son who was a U.S. Navy Commander.

Capt. Gray, a New Jersey native and longtime Fort Myers Beach resident’s known for his daily runs on the island into his 80’s, died in 2024.