Helen was born June 15, 1932 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Louis Constantine and Sofronia Hampers, who had immigrated to the United States from Greece only 3 years earlier. The younger sister to Elizabeth and twin of Constantine, Helen was a very good student and a dutiful daughter who helped her father in the family business with the running of the Liberty Cafe and Restaurant on Federal Street on the North Side of Pittsburgh. She attended the University of Pittsburgh at a time when a college education was not the norm for women and received a Bachelor of Arts in 1954.
Not long after graduating Helen met the love of her life, Anthony W. Gray, marrying on February 3, 1957 and having 3 sons. For the rest of her life, Helen was a devoted, warm and caring mother, instilling in them an ethical foundation, sharing her love of reading and music/piano---as well her tips for good etiquette and gentlemanly behavior. After a time at home with her kids, Helen went on to teach English and Business Arts in the Mt. Lebanon school system for several decades, along with being a Sunday School teacher in the Greek Orthodox church and was a talented and beloved educator in both roles.
Helen lost her father, mother, and sister in the span of 18 months to separate illnesses in her early 40's. While this was unimaginably devastating to her, she nevertheless redoubled her efforts to provide loving care to her extended family who were also affected by these losses. She took a keen interest in her nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and was always there for support and guidance, showing an earnest concern for their well-being and dispensing her unique wisdom when needed.
In retirement, Helen and Tony moved to Seattle to be close to family and, although a lifelong Pittsburgher and Steelers fan, she very much enjoyed her time in the Pacific Northwest. She loved traveling extensively with her family and continued her keen love of books as a voracious reader, indulging herself daily in a book for the remainder of her life.
Helen is survived by her sons William (Traci) A. Gray MD of Haverford PA, Anthony (Judy) W. Gray, Jr. MD of Boxborough MA, and Louis (Zoe) T. Gray of Durham NC, her nieces and nephews Peter Palmer, Sandra Palmer PhD, Victoria (Paul) Vestuto, Louis Hampers MD, Marcus (Tracy) Hampers MD, and Douglas (Jaime) Hampers MD, her nine grandchildren Anthony III (Kate), George (Catalina), Maxwell, Nicholas, Lizzy, Aaron and Eleni Gray, Harper and Sullivan Kiss, and her great-grandchildren Morgan Eleni, Theodore, Olivia, and Lincoln Gray, and Esmeralda Zepeda.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.11.0