LYNDA H. GRAY

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

LYNDA H. GRAY November 7, 1945 - October 5, 2012 Peacefully, and with her family by her side, Lynda Gray passed away at St. Boniface General Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer. Surviving are her husband Jerry, and son Derek and his partner Emily Smith of Beaverton, Oregon. Lynda was predeceased by her parents Clarence and Marjorie Weber of Sims, Illinois and brothers Glenn and Carl Weber. She is also survived by brothers Harold (Phyllis), Sam (Lorene), Lloyd (Kay), Stanley, and sisters Fay Gaither (Bob), Wilberta Gregory (Don Durre), Joyce Snidle (Jack) and Barbara Evans (Dan). One of 11 children, Lynda was born and raised on the family farm in Sims, Illinois. No matter how far away she was from home, at heart she was still a wonderful southern Illinois farm girl. Unpretentious, forgiving, caring and hard-working were the characteristics she learned early and possessed throughout her life. She received her bachelor's degree in 1968 and her master's degree in business education in 1970 from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Lynda and Jerry were married in 1970 and moved to Winnipeg where Jerry had accepted a position in the School of Commerce (now the I.H. Asper School of Business) at the University of Manitoba. She began teaching at Red River Community College in 1971 and enjoyed a career as both an instructor and department head until her retirement in 2003. In retirement she was able to pursue her passion for genealogy and the history of the Weber and Gray families. One of her favourite pastimes was to discuss family history with her brothers, sisters and many, many, many cousins, nieces and nephews. She also enjoyed searching old cemeteries for family burial sites and gravestones that might provide that one piece of missing information that would extend the family tree even further, which would usually generate yet another cemetery search. Family was everything to Lynda and before her health deteriorated she was able to travel to Oregon in June to spend a week with Derek and Emily, and then in July spend two weeks in southern Illinois and southern Indiana visiting family and attending the annual Weber family reunion in Wayne City. This gave her one final opportunity to go shopping with her sisters, her favourite activity, and continue a perpetual search for that elusive blouse or pair of shoes that had been marked down 90%. She will be missed by the Saturday Morning Breakfast Club. In recent years, the club has lost Al, Judy, Keith, and now Lynda. The support of good friends and club members Brock, Georgia, Donna, David and Gail through the past months has been very important and much appreciated. Visitation will be held on Friday, October 12 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, Illinois. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 13 at the First Baptist Church in Wayne City, Illinois, where Lynda and Jerry were married. Interment will follow at Pin Oak Cemetery in Wayne County, a short distance from the Weber family farm. Thanks to Dr. Lotocki and his oncology team at CancerCare, St. Boniface Hospital for her ongoing care and treatment. They were wonderful in helping Lynda through a difficult time. The family is also very appreciative of all the nurses and staff on 4B who truly cared for Lynda and worked so hard to make her stay as pleasant as possible during her final six weeks. They are truly remarkable people. The family would also like to thank her niece Tracy Aanenson and husband Eric for their thoughtfulness and generosity in bringing Lynda back home. Special thanks to Barbara who made many trips to Winnipeg over the course of Lynda's illness to renew that special bond that sisters seem to have. Her brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives who visited or were in constant contact was always the best medicine. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lynda's name can be made to CancerCare Manitoba Foundation, 1160 - 675 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9. Funeral Home and Crematorium 204-774-7474 Condolences:www.bardal.ca

Make a donation to

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 09, 2012