Kenneth Neil Gray

Kenneth Neil Gray

November 15, 1932 |- December 31, 2024

Sadly, Ken Gray passed away in the early hours of December 31, 2024. Dad took a hard fall on Boxing Day and the ensuing complications led to pneumonia. Up until that point, Dad was doing well, especially considering his 92 years of age, and was still mobile and cognitive. Most of his family talked to him on Christmas Day not knowing that this would be the last conversation we would have with him. He was his usual self, asking “How are you doing?” and wanting to know about our lives and sharing Valley news.

Kenneth Neil Gray was born on November 15, 1932 to Harold Clifford Gray and Bernice Josephine Gray (Veller) in Swan River Manitoba.

Dad is predeceased by his parents, his brothers (Albert, Hugh and Burns) and his sister (Maxine). Grandma Gray always called Dad “her baby” (being the youngest of the 5). People said in his youth, he was a good hockey and baseball player. In his late teens and early twenties, Ken worked at various places including Winnipeg, Flin Flon, Vancouver and Interior BC until his father took sick and Ken and his new wife Cathy and their four young children, David, Garry, Judy and Sharon took over the Gray family farm homestead in 1960. Colin and Pat were soon born thereafter. Ken farmed, as well as had side jobs for many years to pay the bills and keep the farm going so that he could take care of his family. Dad passed along his core values of honesty, hardworking, humility and self-reliance to his children.

Ken was married to Cathy for 65 years until her passing on November 8, 2021. Dad on most days would visit Mom in the Personal Care Home for those last 15 years of her life. In later years, Ken also branched out from farming to be a real estate agent and co-owned a farm equipment dealership with his son Colin. He enjoyed curling and golfing in his spare time. He cherished his time with his grandkids sneaking them Halls candies, despite their disapproving parents. He enjoyed meeting and talking to people from all walks of life and in more recent years especially enjoyed his coffee club friends.  

Garry, Judy, Sharon and Pat would like to thank our brothers, Colin and David and Iris (Dave’s wife) for assuming almost all the work for caring for Dad in his later years and for being with him at the end. All of us would also like to thank the Swan Valley Hospital for the care, compassion and respect they gave our father in his final hours.

A spring funeral is planned where we can celebrate and share stories of Kenny Gray.