Sherwood Gray

Sherwood J. Gray Jr. passed away on October 14, 2014 at Bonaventure Assisted Living, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Mr. Gray was born in Altoona Pennsylvania in 1927, moving with his family to Pittsburgh in 1929. Following his discharge from the U.S. Army in 1949 Mr. Gray attended the University of Pittsburgh and spent 36 years in the Refractories Business. He was employed with Harbison-Walker Refractories Co., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1953 and transferred in 1959 to Canon City, Colorado then to Los Angeles, California 1962. After leaving HWR in 1963 Mr. Gray was employed by the Denver Fire Clay Co. Denver, Colorado. In 1965 DFC was purchased by Kaiser Refractories a division of Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp. In 1968 he was transferred to Oakland California. In 1989 he retired from National Refractories formerly Kaiser Refractories.

Mr. Gray was preceded in death by his beloved wife Rose Ann in 1981 and his dear friend of 26 years Marlene Austin who passed on June 30, 2007. He is survived by his two sons Douglas; an attorney (Retired) in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Bruce a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army and his sister Mrs. Delores Parker of Verona, Pennsylvania. Mr. Gray was also the loving Grandfather to his four grandchildren.

Mr. Gray was a Veteran of World War II having served with the occupation forces in Italy. Mr. Gray was a Paratrooper with the infamous 82nd Airborne Division. He was a member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Assn. and was a lifetime member of both the 82nd Airborne Assn. and 504 P.I.R. Assn.

Mr. Gray was also a member of the Colorado Springs Masonic Lodge No. 76, AF & FM the Southern Colorado Consistory and the Colorado Chapter of the S.A.R.