October 7 1948 October 2 2019
Stephen Douglas Gray, Lt Col (ret.), USAF, passed away Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at the age of 70, after a courageous battle with cholangiocarcinoma . He was born October 7, 1948, in Evanston, Illinois to Rollin Lester Gray and Barbara Rodelius Gray, and grew up in Glenview, Illinois. He graduated from Glenbrook High School, Glenview, Illinois, in 1966, and from Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1970. He was a member of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity and the basketball and football teams. Following graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the United States Air Force, where he served for 24 years. During this time, he married Sharon Jane Lawrence (in 1975), and they raised one daughter, Heather Elizabeth Gray (Walk), born in 1979. Steve’s Air Force career included serving as an Air Controller in Vietnam, and later, Squadron Commander, Advisor, Staff Officer, and Director. As a weapons controller on the EC-121 Constellation Early Warning Aircraft, he was assigned in Panama, California and Iceland. Steve served as Director of the Air National Guard Recruiting and Retention Program at the Pentagon, and was the Air National Guard Advisor to the Commander in Chief, United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) while stationed in Germany. His military awards included the Bronze Star Medal, Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Vietnam Armed Forces Service Medal First Class, Air Force Commendation Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster, and the US Air Force Master Weapons Controllers Badge. After retirement from the US Air Force in 1994, Steve became the Military Advisor for then Congressman (now Arkansas Governor) Asa Hutchinson. Steve then went to work for Congressman (now Senator) John Boozman as the Senior Military and Veterans Advisor. During this time, his most rewarding accomplishment was the presentation of medals, in special ceremonies that Senator Boozman’s office conducted, throughout the state to honor Arkansas veterans for their military service. He conducted close to 1000 ceremonies and personalized each one for the respective veteran’s military service. Steve retired from Senator Boozman’s office in January 2015. However, he did not stop serving or working to assist Arkansas Veterans or his local community. He volunteered his time with civic and Veterans Service Organizations, including Lions Club (past President), Fayetteville Exchange Club, American Legion (past Commander, American Legion Post 27, and Vice-Commander, American Legion, Department of Arkansas), Veterans of Foreign Wars, Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, Fayetteville Autumnfest Committee, NWA Veterans Day Association (Chairman and organizer of the annual Veterans Day Parades), Singing Men of Arkansas, Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks, Military Officers Association of America, and the Fayetteville National Cemetery Advisory Council (where he served as its first Chairman and organizer of the Annual Memorial Day Ceremony). He also volunteered with Hospice of North Arkansas and the Walton Arts Center. In October, 2018, Steve was inducted into the Arkansas Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame. In September, 2019, Mayor of the City of Fayetteville, Lioneld Jordan, proclaimed October 7, 2019 to be “Stephen Gray Day” in honor of his contributions to Veterans and his advocacy for the needs of service members across the state, along with his tireless community service. For all of his achievements, Steve was truly the happiest spending time with his family, traveling, sailing, camping, playing guitar and singing (mostly John Denver songs), cheering for his beloved Chicago Cubs (ecstatic when they finally won the 2016 World Series), and rooting on the Razorbacks. Steve is survived by Sharon, his wife of almost 44 years, their daughter, Heather (Vic Walk), of Washington, D.C.; his sisters, Diane Kip Gray Herbst, Tooele, Utah; Jacquelyn Gray Harwood (Gerald), Park City, Utah; Pamela Jeanne Gray Burns (Joseph), Idaho Springs, Idaho; and brother, Preston Bradley Gray (Dianne), Minneapolis, Minnesota, brothers-in-law, David Lawrence, Paul Lawrence, Jr., (Anita), sisters-in-law, Vicki Clark (Ron), Mary Beth Donahue (Kelly), 19 nieces and nephews, and numerous great-nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 18, 10:30 at University Baptist Church. Internment with Full Military Honors will follow at the Fayetteville National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, 5526 West 13400 South, #510, Herriman, Utah 84096, Fayetteville National Cemetery Advisory Council, Lions Club, or the Northwest Arkansas Veterans Coalition. To sign the online guest book please visit www.nelsonberna.com To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Stephen Douglas Gray, Lt Col (ret.) please visit our Sympathy Store.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Stephen Douglas Gray Lt Col ret October 7 1948 October 2 2019.
Death notice for the town of: Fayetteville, state: Arkansas