Constance L. Gray

Constance L. Gray (Leighton), age 83, of Old Lyme, CT passed away peacefully at home on April 1, 2023. Connie, daughter to the late Willmott and Florence Leighton, was born in Cleveland, OH on July 6, 1939. Connie was preceded in death by her husband, Fenton Paul Gray, 1971.

She is survived by her devoted children, Fenton Paul Gray (Wellesley/Nantucket, MA) and Stephen James Gray (Middletown, CT); siblings, Joan Leighton (Melrose, MA) and George Leighton (Old Lyme, CT); and cherished grandchildren, Michael, Harrison and Leighton. She will also be forever remembered by her extended family and dear friends.

She graduated from Cleveland Heights High School and magna cum laude/Phi Beta Kappa from Mt. Holyoke College with a bachelor’s degree in religion. Soon after marrying her beloved husband in 1961, she settled in Old Lyme. Here she raised her family and lived for the past 60 years. Her love for Old Lyme Shores Beach was reflected in her 35 years of service as Beach Association secretary and 25 years as the Association rental agent.

Connie had a passion for languages, especially Latin, which was evident during her tenure at The Williams School in New London. She served as the head of the English Department in the lower school for 13 years. She then had a successful nearly 20-year career with Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development before retiring in 2003.

A loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Connie was kind, thoughtful and generous to all who knew her. Her true passion and greatest gift involved helping others. Her selfless nature led her to volunteer with numerous organizations, including the Christ the King Church Prayer Line and the New London Community Meal Center. She loved devoting her free time to her family and was always engaged in the lives of her children and grandchildren.

Connie’s sparkly personality made a lasting impression on everyone she knew. An attentive listener, she was endlessly curious about the lives of others. And she was eager to share the latest news about her own family. Always upbeat, Connie had an endearing knack for converting any temporary setback into an entertaining – and often lengthy – story.

A calling hour will be held on Monday, April 10th from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. at Christ the King Church, 1 McCurdy Road, Old Lyme, CT. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at Christ the King Church at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Duck River Cemetery, Old Lyme. Friends and family kindly invited.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Connie’s memory to Christ the King Church in Old Lyme, CT.