H. Ray Gray

He was a man of integrity, loyalty, honesty, faithfulness, generosity and fun. His smile was his signature. He was loved by everyone who really knew him although he often was perceived initially as intimidating. He was born in Graysville, Indiana, but spent most of his young life in Tremble, Illinois where he was introduced to sports of all kinds. He graduated from high school in nearby Robinson, Illinois, where he excelled in football, basketball and track. As soon as he could he moved to Texas to be close to his first love, Billie Gayle Monk, whom he married as soon as she was 18. He joined the Army and spent most of his military career as a medic at the post dispensary in Germany. His last duty with the United States Army, was playing basketball for the Fort Hood basketball team. After his military service Ray attended the University of Texas in the school of Pharmacy.

Ray and Billie parented two children, daughter Kimberlee Gray Lien and son Thomas Christopher Gray, who both survive. From those two offspring he was gifted with two granddaughters and a grandson — the next loves of his life.

His life work was in construction, where he liked to say he never built anything, but enforced his will on a lot of good men who did. He was construction superintendent for a company that built many buildings in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The men he supervised became a family of workers, many of whom still call him "dad." They worked together, played together and still remain friends. That loyalty to Ray was inspired by his loyalty to them.

After moving to the east coast he continued in construction management for large construction companies. He arrived in Fort Collins in 1993 to visit his son. There he met his second love when his son Tom rented a room in the home of Sharon Horn, who became Sharon Gray in 1994. He liked to tell the story that they never dated, just walked and talked for six months and then got married. With that marriage he gained nine more grandchildren, who all call him Grandpa Ray. His additional survivors now include three great-grandsons and a great-granddaughter.

All who knew and loved him will miss him greatly, but all of those who survive him are at peace with his passing knowing that he fought a good fight having been plagued with multiple life threatening diseases and injuries that he overcame time and time again. Now we all rejoice that he is at rest with his Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. A celebration of his life will be at Discovery Fellowship, 6630 Brittany Drive, Fort

Collins, Thursday, May 30th at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts can be made to Compassion International, Colorado Springs, CO or Discovery Fellowship, Fort Collins, CO.