Major Gray, 85, of Chehalis, Washington was born at home Oct. 30, 1930 in Belah, Louisiana to Arch and Ellie Gray. He died at Providence Centralia Hospital, Feb. 4, 2016.
Major attended school at Trout-Good Pine, Louisiana. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1950 and was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. While serving his country, he met and married Marion Lowry. They were married on Halloween in 1952, when he had a 3 day pass. They have been together for 63 years. After his discharge, they lived for two years in Louisiana, where their first child was born. They moved back to Washington in 1955 by car.
Major was a dairy farmer on Newaukum Hill until 1967. He then went to work for Washington Water Power at natural gas storage plant near Napavine, Washington. He finished his working career with WIDCO at the Centralia coal mine in the carpenters’ shop. He retired in 1990.
Major and Marion enjoyed traveling and going on drives. He enjoyed planting huge gardens, harvesting wild blackberries and cutting firewood. Major loved to attend their grandchildren’s sporting activities. He especially liked wrestling and girls’ fast-pitch and even attended the high school girls’ state fast-pitch tournament. Major could talk to anyone about anything.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Arch and Ellie Gray; sisters, Thelma Allen and Lillian Monroe; brother, Houston Gray; son-in-law, Dave Barlow; and daughter-in-law, Sandee Gray.
Survivors include his wife, Marion; daughters, Sue Barlow and Linda (Andy) Styger; sons, Wayne Gray (Pia), Ken Gray (Pam) and Darrell Gray; sister-in-law, Mildred (Bud) Enger. He was Papa to grandchildren, Candace and Matthew Barlow, Samantha, Sheena and Shane Styger, Connor, Blake, Austin, Kyle, Darren and Rachel Gray, Sasha Sellers and Jonathan Gray, Rylie and Easton Gray; and seven great-grandchildren. He was Uncle Major to many nieces and nephews both in Washington and Louisiana.
A celebration of life will be held at Newaukum Grange Hall, Chehalis, Monday, Feb, 15, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. A potluck reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be made to the Bearcat Athletic Booster Club, 297 Middle Fork Road, Chehalis, WA 98532.
