Roger Ross Gray

Roger was born in Portland, Oregon on January 21, 1947 to Rolla and Lucille Gray. He grew up in a home at the corner of Scholls Ferry Road and Patton Road on six acres of woods. After graduating from Sunset High School, he went to Oregon State University to study mathematics. He joined the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity where he made many lifelong friendships. After graduating from college, he was drafted into the army and sent to Saigon to serve in military intelligence. Returning home, he spent a year in Eugene furthering his math education. He then joined US Bank as an auditor and traveled the state with a team, auditing branches of the bank. He began to explore other opportunities to use his math skill and joined Milliman and Robertson as an actuarial student and later became an ASA. His 30 year actuarial career included time with Milliman and Robertson, Watson Wyatt, as a private consultant, and lastly with Milliman.

During this time, he married and raised two wonderful children, Michael and Alysha. He took them camping, served as a cub scout leader, and introduced them to travel by railroad. Retirement suited Roger and he worked on his golf, jogged, had lunch with friends, regularly went to the gym, and planned vacations. Then his next career move happened. He became the best Papa ever to three beautiful granddaughters. With love, he took on babysitting the oldest when she was just four months old, mostly by himself but with a little help from Loulie. One of the funniest stories he loved to tell was when he took Ava for a walk and she did not want to go home. He picked her up screaming and kicking and someone in a car driving by called the police to check out if he was a kidnapper. When the police officer arrived and asked Ava if she knew this man she grabbed his pants leg and said “he’s Papa”. No arrest was made.

Some great trips were taken to New York, Boston, Washington DC, Europe, Australia, the Panama Canal, and a favorite spot, Sunriver. In 2022, Roger’s cancer returned and he began treatment that helped for a time. He also made a support circle of other men who were also facing this disease. Roger was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Ron, Shirley, and Carol. He is survived by his wife Loulie, children Michael and Alysha (Dan), and three granddaughters.

A committal service for Roger was held on Friday, January 3, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 SE Mt Scott Blvd, Portland, Oregon 97266.

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