Mr. David Gray

David Gray, 81, of Newark, DE, passed away on October 5, 2023. In his own words, David was “a fortunate man.” He was the eighth child of Thomas C. Gray Sr. and Violet Milnes Gray. Born in April 1942, in his family’s home on South Chapel Street, David loved growing up in Newark in the 1940s and 50s among his “nine wonderful brothers and sisters.” After graduating from Newark High School in 1960, David worked for W.L. Gore as a machinist. He then spent three years in the regular Army contributing to the national defense. In 1968, David earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry with honors from Arizona State University, following which he returned to the east coast to embark upon a career and start a family. David held a variety of roles professionally, many of which were for The DuPont Company. He concluded his career at Bristol Myers Squibb as a formulation chemist. No one enjoyed retirement more. David relished the extra free time and noted that “life’s greatest luxury is napping after breakfast.” His golden years were enhanced greatly by his relationship with his devoted fiancée Barbara, hours spent on horseback riding local trails, and time with family and friends. David leaves this world having restored “the old, country place” on Paper Mill Road where he grew up and spent most of his life. Tending to “his place” was his true passion. He made innumerable improvements to the 200+ year-old farmhouse and, following in his father’s footsteps, David grew and sold Christmas trees from his home from 1978 to 2006. David was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Tom Gray Jr., Thelma Jezyk, Emma Lou Gray, Georgiana Mackay, Nancy Slutter, and Stephen Gray. He is survived by his children Thomas (Annie) and Virginia (Jeff); his siblings Violet Wetzel, Norma Welch, and Sharon Knudsen; his fiancée Barbara Jastrab, her son Gregory Jastrab and daughter-in-law Leah; and a vast extended family of cherished cousins, nieces, and nephews, as well as many friends. David leaves a lasting legacy to the world through the lives of his five grandchildren Rebecca, Suzannah, and Wilson Gray, and Rachel and Meghan Gould, as well as the grandchildren of his fiancée, to whom he was like a grandfather: Laney, Halle, and Garrett Jastrab. David planted thousands of trees in his lifetime, and he particularly loved white oaks. In lieu of flowers, his family encourages donations to the Arbor Day Foundation at www.arborday.org.  In accordance with family wishes, all services will be private.