May 23 1977 October 05 2019
Andrew’s Obituary Andrew Norton Gray passed away on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at his home in Wilmington, North Carolina after too brief a battle with glioblastoma multiforme. Andrew was born on May 23, 1977 in Newburgh, New York to Thomas Arthur Gray and Sylvia Calvin Gray. He grew up in Connecticut and attended the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, as well as the Mountain School in Vershire, Vermont. Andrew’s early days were documented in a childhood movie company named Beastly Films spearheaded by his oldest best friend Christopher Merrill, now of Los Angeles. Andrew moved south to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated from the school’s journalism program. He later received his Masters in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He received the Class of 2008 Norman Kaylor Outstanding MBA Student Award. Andrew was an entrepreneur at heart and had a knack for computers. He started multiple companies while in school at Chapel Hill. He designed websites for clients under the name Code Blue Designs. He developed chapelhillrent.com, hometownrent.com and real estate broker reciprocity platforms through his company dotventures, founded in his college bedroom with longtime friend Christian Francis. Chris and Andrew sought and received investments from angel investors and ran several successful businesses in Chapel Hill. Andrew loved music and particularly loved having something to promote. Andrew helped to create a battle bot named Opensaurus. Andrew also worked for many years at Breadmen’s and promoted various musical acts in Chapel Hill, most notably his friends the Steep Canyon Rangers. He later promoted and DJ’ed at the Library when friends opened the bar in the mid-2000s in the old Taco Bell on Franklin Street. In recent years, he turned his efforts to optimizing his experience at various music festivals, most notably Lockn’. He developed a line of festival wear to protect music lovers from the sun. He took his festival life seriously (but not too seriously), embracing the motto “Don’t not have it.” Andrew’s parties were legendary. From last day of school ice luges to four mud wrestling tournaments to 70s dance parties in the woods of Vermont to Uncle Earl’s Pancake Breakfast to adult proms to dance parties for ladies of a certain age (his wife’s age) in Wilmington to bipartisan debate parties, Andrew always had good fun. He made fast friends, friends who would stay with him through life. Andrew moved to Wilmington, North Carolina in 2006. There he met Nathan Tayloe and founded Tayloe/Gray, a web-marketing and design company. Nathan and Andrew grew the company to one of the largest in town, serving small businesses to large national clients. Andrew also wrote for the Wilmington Business Journal, served on the boards of WHQR and Wilmington Downtown, Incorporated and taught classes on social media, e-commerce and blogging for small businesses at the local community colleges. He developed a payment platform called Pay For Art designed to allow artists to more easily sell their works. Andrew was an intellectual and political wonk. He was well-informed and readily debated anyone who cared to discuss the day’s events. Andrew had many dear friends who did not agree with his more liberal politics but who respected him to the utmost. He was bon vivant in the best sense of the word. Andrew met his wife and longtime love, Stewart Poisson, in 1999 in Chapel Hill. The two shared innumerable adventures over the twenty years they were together in life. Stewart loved Andrew with her whole heart, as he did her. Their greatest accomplishments are their two beautiful children who truly hold all that is good in their father. Andrew loved Alexander and Cutlar and was proudest of their kind hearts, sharp intellect and fun-loving personalities. Andrew is survived by Stewart and their children, Alexander Poisson Gray and Elizabeth Cutlar Gray of Wilmington; his parents, Tom and Sylvia Gray of Carrboro; his grandfather, Timothy Downing Calvin of Florida; his brother, Justin Prentiss Gray (Anna) of Graham; his nephew Calvin Holt Gray; his brother-in-law Frederick Davis Poisson, III (Tate) of Southern Pines; his niece Julius “Jules” Gethyn Poisson; his father-in-law Frederick Davis Poisson, Jr. (Lynn); numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; and countless dear friends. A celebration of Andrew’s life will be held at the Brooklyn Arts Center on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at 5:30pm in Wilmington. Andrew asked that any donations be made to The Mountain School in Vershire, Vermont (www.mountainschool.org), a place that was formative in making him who he is. To truly honor Andrew, follow his lead and live your life with #noragrets. Read More
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Andrew Norton Gray May 23 1977 October 05 2019.
Death notice for the town of: Wilmington, state: North Carolina