Timothy Aaron Gray

1951 - 2008

Gray

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, Timothy Aaron Gray, 57, left this Earth unexpectedly on Friday, June 27, 2008, to be in heaven with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He died of natural causes in his home.
A funeral will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, July 8, at Bible Baptist Church, 32 Adak Ave., with Pastor Doug Duffett officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Northern Lights Memorial Park.
Tim was born to William and Opal Gray on Jan. 6, 1951, in Cleveland. He grew up in the inner city, where he accumulated many close friends who often called him “Red.” At the age of 18, Tim joined the United States Navy and served as a quartermaster aboard the submarine USS Sea Dragon. Tim completed his three years of service during the Vietnam War while stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1971.
Tim returned to Cleveland, where he met his future wife of 35 years, Terri Lynn Carter. They were married Nov. 17, 1973, at Sts. Phillip and James Catholic Church in Cleveland. It was also in 1973 that Tim bought his first motorcycle, a Norton Commando, which began his love for motorcycles. During the next few years, Tim worked for LTV Steel Co., where he began his electrical apprenticeship. In 1976, he completed his electrical apprenticeship and became a journeyman electrician, a trade that he continued until his death.
The following year, Terri and he welcomed their first daughter, Deven. It was in 1979, at Cleveland Baptist Church that Tim trusted Jesus Christ as his savior and was led to the Lord by his close friend to this day, Dave Cook. For the rest of his time in Ohio, Tim served in various ministries at Cleveland Baptist Church and Bible Baptist Church in Ashtabula, Ohio. Some of those ministries included deacon and songleader.
Over the next eight years, Tim continued working for LTV, and during this time his wife and he had their first son, Nathan, in 1980, and their second daughter, Ruthann, in 1983. Also at the time, Tim began racing sled dogs competitively. Ultimately, this brought the Gray family to Fairbanks. In 1986, Tim worked at Prudhoe Bay, and Terri gave birth to their last child, Ryan. In 1988, Tim found his home church, Bible Baptist Church, a church where he found many dear friends to this day and a very loving pastor.
Tim remained a Fairbanks resident for the rest of his life, and during the next 22 years, he had many great experiences and accomplishments. He worked on the Valdez oil spill, raced sled dogs, owned horses for hunting and packing, fished, worked in various ministries at Bible Baptist Church and continued his motorcycle hobby.
Tim treasured his friends, and above all else, his family. From his four children, he welcomed 12 grandchildren. There was nothing he loved more than to sit on his porch and watch them play or working on motorcycles with his sons and riding with them, or having lengthy conversations with his friends and family using his infamous hand gestures.
Tim leaves behind many friends and family members that have been affected by his immense love for life, family, and God. And through this difficult time we take comfort in the promise that our Lord made to us in his holy word that though we cannot always see his hand we know that we can trust his heart. We know that one day we will be reunited with our beloved father, husband and friend, and until that day we rest in our Lord and draw from his strength and comfort.
Tim is survived by his loving wife, Terri Lynn Gray of Fairbanks; daughter, Deven K. Gray of Fairbanks; son, Nathan A. Gray of Fairbanks; daughter, Ruthann Gray of Sandusky, Ohio; son, Ryan F. Gray of Fairbanks; sister, Janice Foss of Cleveland; grandson, Austin M. Burleson of Tucson, Ariz., granddaughter, Kaitlyn R. Gray of Fairbanks, granddaughter, Whitney A. Parzick of Fairbanks, grandson, Tristan C. Duran of Sandusky, Ohio; granddaughter, Regan E. Gray of Fairbanks, grandson, Xander A. Duran of Sandusky, granddaughter, Ashlynn F. Micchione of Fairbanks, grandson, David A. Gray of Fairbanks, grandson, Trey M. Aguilar of Sandusky, grandson, Killian F. Gray of Fairbanks, and grandson, Ethan J. Gray of Fairbanks; son-in-law, Dominick J. Macchione of Fairbanks; niece, Stacy L. Foss of Virginia; and daughter-in-law, Annie K. Gray of Fairbanks.
Tim was preceded in death by his parents, William and Opal Gray; and grandson, Cameron Lee Gray.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Timothy A. Gray Memorial Fund at Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, Account 1399153.
Arrangements were by Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home.