NORWICH – George W. Gray, 70, of Norwich, passed away Wednesday evening, Dec. 19, 2007, in the Oneida Health Care Facility in Oneida, after a long illness.
The son of Frank and Ruth (Neer) Gray, George was born in Walton in November of 1937. He attended the local schools until he moved to Norwich in 1952, and went to work at a very young age for Bennett-Ireland. George and his wife of 50 years, Ruth Keeley, were married in New York City in 1957, and were living in Norwich at the time George entered the U.S. Army to serve his country. He received his honorable discharge from the Army Reserve on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, 1966. In April of 1976, George began his career of over 20 years with the City of Norwich Highway Dept., from which he retired on Dec. 6, 1997. An easy-going man who loved the mountains, George lived for his grandchildren and great grandchildren and spoke of them every day during his last illness.
George is survived by his wife, Ruth Gray of Norwich; his daughter, Ruthann Thomas and her husband Frederick of Norwich; grandchildren: Jeff Thomas and companion Jennifer Carnahan of Norwich, Jason Thomas and wife Amanda of Chittenango, Fred R. Thomas and companion Jennifer Zornow of Norwich, George W. Thomas and companion Beverly Combs of Norwich, and Thomas L. Thomas of Norwich; and by great grandchildren, Brianna, Mackenzie, Drew, Cheyann, Zaylee and Nathaniel. He is also survived by his sister, Ella Card of Norwich, his brother Frank Gray and wife Trudy of Norwich, and several nieces and nephews. George was predeceased by his sisters, Martha and Mildred, and brother Clayton.
Funeral services for George will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday from the R. J. Fahy Funeral Home. The Rev. Jeremy Stopford will officiate. Interment with full military rites will be at a later date in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Friends are invited to call at the R. J. Fahy Funeral Home on Thursday from 11 a.m. until the service at 1 p.m.