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In memoriam: Kathleen Josephine Gray (née O'Brien)

July 5, 1929 - August 11, 2022
Kathleen Gray

With heavy hearts we say farewell to our “mam,” a wonderful mother, wife, grandmother, aunt, sister and friend. She left us peacefully declaring that she felt “good.” That was our mother…never a complainer.

Kathleen (Kay) was born in Limerick, Ireland, where she joined the clan of O’Briens, 10 members in all. As the middle sister her role was to work and care for her younger siblings, which is where she probably developed her patient spirit!

She immigrated to Canada when she was 17 to join her older brother in Vernon, BC. There she became a nurse’s aid and cared for the elderly. She had a passion and gift for providing comfort for people in her care (Mom remained in health care until she retired at 65).

In 1952, Mom moved to Trail, BC; it was there that she met her man, Gerry Gray. After working a night shift she went to the courthouse to listen to a trial, that as fate would have it, our dad was reporting on. He saw her sleeping up in the lodges and asked his friend about her. “Well, they call her Irish,” and she was a beauty.

They married in 1953 and moved to Vancouver, where mom worked at Woodlands School; at this time they started their family before moving on to their final destination of Powell River.

Kathleen was an incredibly dedicated and hard worker, always kind, caring and compassionate toward the folks she worked with. Although she worked many long hours she never turned down a relative or child who needed a reprieve from their own home life. She never really asked why they were at our house or when they were leaving. They were just considered another mouth to feed and she did.

This wonderful mother will be missed by her children Annette (Brian) Henderson, Danny (Kari Robillard) Gray, Chris Gray and Cathie (Robert) Sturam; by her grandchildren Breah (Jeremy and their son Levi), Zach (Kelsea) Gray, Addison Sturam, Sawyer Sturam and Myranda Gray; and her siblings in Ireland Rita, Josephine, Peter and Christie. She was predeceased by her husband Gerald Gray and her granddaughter Brooke Henderson.

The family wishes to thank all involved in keeping her comfortable and loved in her last years.

There will be a Roman Catholic service in her honour at 1 pm on August 22 at Church of the Assumption. A light refreshment will be offered after mass.