Ricki Lee Gray

Ricki was born February 28, 1951, and grew up in Lubbock, TX. He attended Monterrey High School in Lubbock before moving to Austin, TX in his senior year. He attended Travis High School one semester and then transferred to L. C. Anderson High School. Ricki has the distinction of being the first white student to graduate from and one of the very few to attend “Old” Anderson High School, an historically all black school. He graduated in 1970.

Ricki volunteered his service to our country, serving as a fireman in the United States Air Force during the VietNam War. His tour of duty included Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, NM, Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, NV and Hahn Air Base near the village of Hahn, Germany. Following his tour of service, he returned to Austin and attended Southwest Texas State University (now known as Texas State University) in San Marcos, TX earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in May 1979. Ricki’s military service also included several years as a Reservist in the Texas Army National Guard at Camp Mabry.

Ricki moved with Lynne to Galveston in 1980 where she attended medical school and residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch. They were married September 18, 1982. The seven years living in Galveston afforded Ricki proximity to the ocean which he most certainly loved. He spent most of his free time boating on the bay or at the beach. While living in Galveston, Ricki got to experience firsthand what it is like working on a shrimp boat and living through a hurricane (Allen). His first years working as a jeweler were spent at Eisenberg’s on The Strand.

Ricki and his family returned to the Austin Metro area in 1987. Ricki was an artist, talented in many ways, but found his true calling in the design and making of fine jewelry. He preferred to work in platinum and gold and precious stones. He proudly earned the rigorous Jewelers of America Bench Jeweler Certification in 1998. He spent much of his 30+ years in jewelry working at Benold’s Jewelers in Austin. However, when computer-aided drafting took over hand-crafted design which was Ricki’s forte, he didn’t feel he could successfully compete, so he embarked on a new career. He earned his Commercial Driver’s License in 2016 and became a trucker. After driving in or through nearly every continental state that first year, he gave up long haul and began driving locally as it didn’t interfere so much with his love of running, being near his family and getting a clean shower!

Driving allowed Ricki to listen to talk radio and remain up to date and active in local, state and national politics. He rarely, if ever, missed a chance to vote, a responsibility he took very seriously. He didn’t have time to watch a lot of television but loved Wheel of Fortune and Food Network, his favorite program being Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. He also liked to watch select sports, especially college football, certain NFL games, World Series baseball and March Madness basketball. He wore his burnt orange proudly for his favorite college team. Even though he was a Cowboys fan, he especially liked watching Patrick Mahomes play football.

Ricki really enjoyed backyard grilling. He purchased a Lifetime grill in the late 1980s, and it is still in use today. In the early days living in Cedar Park, the smell of Ricki’s grill was an open invitation to the neighbors to grab a cold beer and head to the backyard for great food and hospitality. His specialties were baby back pork ribs, pork tenderloin and chicken thighs, offering samples right off the grill to whet your appetite. He often handed out bites of sausage on the end of his knife as appetizers.

Ricki had a passion for plants, especially flowering ones and the more unusual the flower, the better. He was a regular at many local nurseries, but his favorite was Hill Country Water Gardens. He enjoyed many things but sitting in his chair on the back porch was high on his list. You could find him sitting there most Sunday evenings with a cold beer in his hand looking at his yard, deciding what new plants to plant, what to dig up and what to prune, while listening to the sounds of water from his backyard fountain and stream and watching the birds he faithfully fed.

The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve been and the memories we’ve made along the way. Special memories include vacations with family and friends, boating on Lake Travis, cruising the Caribbean and snow skiing in CO, UT, NM, NV and CA. Ricki’s favorite vacation spot was Lake Tahoe. He could ski or board all day then relax in the evening with a cold one while playing the slots or craps at the casinos. Of course, Heavenly Mountain afforded an amazing view of Lake Tahoe. He loved being near water! He was a Pisces after all.

Ricki is preceded in death by his parents Kenneth Lee Gray and Virginia “Gin” Long Forrester, his stepfather W. Mack Forrester and brother Randal “Rande” Wayne Gray.

He is survived by his wife Lynne Shoop Gray, daughter Lesley Leora Gray and husband Joe, son Taylor Lee Gray and daughter Lindsey Kate Gray; brothers Monty Forrester and wife Chrys and Ross Gray and wife Renee and sisters Renee Watts and husband Mike and Jan Unell and husband John. He leaves behind five beloved grandchildren Gracey Leora Ratliff, Christian King Almendarez, Wyatt McClain “Mac” Bradford, Aurora Lynne Gray and Mason Marek Gray as well as many nieces and nephews and their families.

Memorial service for Ricki will be held Monday July 14, 2025, at 1 pm at Hill Country Bible Church 12124 RR 620 N Austin, TX 78750 with reception to follow.

Memorial donations in Ricki’s name may be made to the charity of your choice or to Seed

Savers Exchange or Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.