Robert Preston Gray

Robert Preston Gray

Everyone who met Bob Gray was immediately struck by his integrity and warmth. He spread humor, kindness, fairness and love everywhere he went. 

Bob was born in Princeton, Illinois on April 8, 1932, son of Effie and Leslie Gray. Although he grew up during the lean years of the Great Depression, his childhood was rich with love and humor, growing up with four brothers and twin sister, Roberta. He graduated from Wethersfield High School (Kewanee, IL) in 1950, where he served as class president. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was deployed to Korea in 1951 where he served three years nine months and 17 days, stationed on the front line as a radio operator. He then attended Western Illinois University in Macomb, IL where he graduated in 1959 with a teaching degree.

His greatest discovery in Macomb, was Joyce Cohrs, who he truly adored and who became his lifetime partner in family and work.  The young couple ventured to Delaware Ohio in 1963 to establish Gray’s Shoes which thrived as a family business for 34 years. 

Bob and Joyce enjoyed 62 years of a marriage built on trust, respect, and love. Their home was a place of warmth and acceptance. He was tremendously proud of his daughters, Carmen Gray (Eric Shendell, Westfield, NJ) and Jennifer Leigh Gray (McCall, ID) and grandchildren, Michael Patrick Hopkins (24, Salem, MA) Daniel Robert Hopkins (22, Scotch Plains, NJ), Emma Gray Griffith (20, McCall, ID) and Abigail Gray Griffith (18, McCall, ID) and his son in law, Jim Griffith (McCall, ID). 

Bob was committed to his community and served as a city councilman, Kiwanis president, Grady Memorial Hospital board member, and Delaware County Chamber of Commerce board member. He was most passionate about his role with the Delaware County Library where he served as board president and subsequently oversaw the construction of three county libraries. He enjoyed spending any off hours working in his yard, which his family fondly dubbed his “park”.

Bob and Joyce relocated to McCall, Idaho, in 2015 to live near family. He embraced their new mountain home, never failing to admire the surrounding beauty and solace.  Bob valued his spiritual life and always found comfort in his church community, most recently the Community Congregational Church in McCall. 

Bob passed peacefully at home on January 23rd in the company of his family.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the McCall Public LIbrary at: https://mccalllibraryfoundation.org/donate-1

A memorial with family will be held on Saturday and will posted on this site to view starting at 9:00 AM (MST) on Sunday, January 31st.

Online condolences may be left at www.mccallfunerals.com

Arrangements in care of McCall Funeral Home.

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