Search Archived Marriage Records
Richard Gray
2004-04-23
Richard L. C. Gray, 85, of Gray, died Thursday evening at his home on the Beaver Cove Road following a long illness.
Mr. Gray was born in Portland on August 7, 1918, the son of Lucian and Ella Perkins Gray. He was a graduate of Deering High School and the Gray Business College.
He served with the U.S. Army during World War II.
He had worked his entire working career as a financial advisor. He retired in 1992 from Maine Mall Motors in South Portland; previously, he had worked for CIT Finance Company, Willco Finance and the former Sun Savings and Eagle Bank.
He was an avid
hunter
and a diehard Red Sox and Patriots fan.
He is survived by his wife, V. Donna (Martin) Gray, whom he married on June 12, 1958. Also surviving are two sons, Christopher D. Gray, of Gray, and Alan L. Gray, of Portland; two daughters, Sue Taylor, of Yarmouth, and Deborah McInnis, of Merrimac, NH. There are also six grandchildren and one great-grandson. A son, Marvin Gray, died previously.
There will be no formal funeral service at this time, but a service in celebration of his life will be held later in the summer.
Arrangements are under the guidance of Independent Death Care of Maine, Portland.
Retha A. "Grammie" Dunn dies
Retha A. Dunn, one of Gray's most beloved residents, died August 6, 2004, at Ledgewood Manor. She was 95.
Born in Kingfield, Maine, on May 9, 1909, she was the daughter of Fred and Annie Rose Morris. She was raised by foster parents Elmer and Gertrude Flagg, and was educated in Buckfield Schools. She was a member of the First Congregational Church of Gray.
She and her husband Archie were foster parents for many children, She was a foster grandmother for 31 years, volunteering at Pineland and then at Russell School in Gray. She was honored to have been on Bill Green's Maine TV show. She was a loving, caring person known to hundreds of schoolchildren as "Grammie Dunn".
MSAD 15 Superintendent Vicky Burns mourned the loss of a "wonderful friend" of the schools, and Russell School Principal Ellen Beale called "Grammie" the "essence of compassion and caring".
She was predeceased by her husband, Archie; a son, Burchard Dunn; a daughter, Priscilla Dunn Thomas; sons-in-law Donavan Thomas and John Bryant, Sr. She is survived by a son, Lloyd Dunn, and his wife Jean; a daughter, Patricia Bryant; and a daughter-in-law, Patricia Dunn; all are residents of Gray. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren and three foster daughters, Carol Orozco, of Arizona, and Linda Davis and Sandra McCann, of Maine.
Visitation was held on Tuesday at Wilson Funeral Home, Gray. A funeral was held on Wednesday at the First Congregational Church of Gray. Committal will be in Gracelawn Memorial Park, Auburn.
Memorial donations may be made to Gray Fire & Rescue, 125 Shaker Road, Gray, ME 04039 or Gray Public Library, 5 Hancock Street, Gray, ME. 04039, where the funds will be used to purchase children's books in memory of "Grammie Dunn".
Rebecca Higgins dies
Rebecca Kent Higgins, formerly of Gray, passed away in Walpole on March 15, 2005.
Arrangements are by Strong Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 612 Main Street, Damariscotta.
Richard Dunn passes away at 82
Richard Edward "Dick" Dunn, Past Post Commander of American Legion Post #86 in Gray, died April 3, 2005 at St. Joseph's Manor.
He was born in Topsham on August 23, 1922, the son of Lawrence Dunn and Mary Cronin Dunn.
He served in the U.S. Army for 20 years and retired as a Master Sergeant. He was a proud member of the American Legion for 35 continuous years; ;he was a member of the 40&8 and served as Sergeant-at-Arms at the Post, County and District levels.
Dick is remembered as a "character" who enjoyed life, and a man who had a sense of humor and was warm and caring "once you got past the exterior". He enjoyed traveling and making his wife, Erma, happy.
He is survived by his family, Ralph and his wife Cina Barter, of Gray, Guy Barter, of Cumberland, Linda Bragg and her fiance Dave Erno, of Manchester, NH; as well as Rebecca and Rachel Barter, of New Gloucester, Monique Meyers, of Richmond, Shannon Valiente, of Lewiston, Jessica Barter, of Norway, Michael Linscott, of Georgia, also Megan bragg, of Cumberland, Jennifer Bragg, of Portland, Renee Bragg, of Cumberland, and their father, Durwood Bragg, of Cumberland.
Dick was predeceased by his wife, Erma Knapp, ands his sister, Agnes Dunn.
Funeral services were at Lindquist Funeral Home in Yarmouth.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in his name may be made to The Residents Assistance Fund, Saint Joseph's Manor, 1133 Washington Ave., Portland, ME 04103.
Ray Segars dies
C. Raymond Segars, 91, of Gray, passed away peacefully Sunday evening, September 11, 2005 at Maine Medical Center, after spending the day surrounded by his family.
Ray was born May 25, 1914, in New Gloucester, the son of Amy and Bernald Segars. He graduated from New Gloucester High School in 1931. He joined the Civil Conservation Corp. in 1934, followed by a nearly 20-year career with the E.I. Dupont Box Shop in 1938. He then went into business for himself as a carpenter. He built and renovated many homes in Gray and New Gloucester. He built his daughter's home, and he even helped build several of his grandchildren's homes when he was well into his seventies. After his retirement he enjoyed making wooden toys for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was very skilled at his trade; several years ago he built grandfather clocks for his daughter and all his grandchildren. Family members are all proud owners of his many wooden creations.
He married the former Nellie Rowe on September 3, 1937. Together they raised two daughters and a niece, plus a number of foster children. They moved into the home he built for them in Gray in 1952. They celebrated 54 years of marriage just before her death in January 1992. A daughter, Helen Gary, also predeceased him.
He is survived by his wife of eleven years, the former Phyllis Newbegin; his daughter, Shirley Ordway, and her husband, Noel, of Gray; his niece, Betty Robidoux, of West Springfield, Mass.; nine grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
His family would like to thank the staff of units P3CD and Gibson Pavilion at Maine Medical Center for the kind and compassionate care they gave him, and the staff and residents at the Inn at Village Square in Gorham, who made his life so comfortable and enjoyable for the three weeks prior to his death.
Visiting hours were on Wednesday, September 14, at the Wilson Funeral Home in Gray. A graveside service was held Thursday, September 15, at the Gray Cemetery, the Reverend Doug Hedstrom officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gray Fire and Rescue, 125 Shaker Road, Gray, Maine 04039
Randall Verrill dies at 75
2001-08-10
Randall Bryant Verrill, born November 8, 1925, in Cumberland, died last week. He had lived in Gray since 1982.
He was the son of Chester R. and Veartrice Berry Verrill, and attended Cumberland schools. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944, and served in World War II.
Randall was a cattle dealer by trade, and worked many years with his father, trading horses and cattle and raising turkeys.
He moved to North Yarmouth in 1948, where he continued in the cattle trade. He built a big chicken house, and raised broilers for the Lipman Poultry Company for 21 years. He was co-owner of the Cumberland Grain Company in Yarmouth. Prior to his retirement, he raised black angus beef cattle with the Anderson farm.
In the 1950s, Randall supervised the building of five houses to sell, and built three duplex houses in North Yarmouth, which he was renting.
He was active in Town affairs, having served on the SAD 51 Board of Directors in 1970-71. He was plumbing inspector for a short time. He was chairman of the North Yarmouth Water District, and was instrumental in the laying of a new pipeline. He served as a volunteer fireman in the North Yarmouth Fire Department, and was a lifetime member. He helped organize the Town's first Rescue Unit, and was Captain of it. He served on the committee to purchase the first new tank truck in 1960.
In 1982, he moved to Gray. He spent his winters in St. Cloud, FL, which he dearly loved. He set out 30 fruit trees, and enjoyed giving his friends fresh fruit. He enjoyed
hunting and fishing and helping others. He was always there to lend a helping hand.
Randall is survived by his wife of 53 years, Shirley Thurber Verrill; a son, William Verrill, of North Yarmouth; a daughter, Susan Copp, of North Yarmouth; two brothers, Richard Verrill, of Yarmouth, and Dwight Verrill, of North Yarmouth; two sisters, Norma Smith, of North Yarmouth, and Gloria Sanborn, of Cumberland; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Priscilla U. Dunn Thomas
Priscilla U. Dunn Thomas, 72, daughter of Retha Dunn, of Gray, died Wednesday, May 23, 2001 in Ocean Springs, Miss.
She was born in Hartford, Maine, daughter of Archie and Retha Dunn.
She was a resident of Gray for 21 years.
Her hobbies included crocheting afghans and sewing. Over the years she had sewn wedding dresses, prom dresses, cheerleading suits and many other costumes.
She was a foster mother to Belle Fountain Community for 38 years. She was a Sunday school teacher at Belle Fountain Baptist Church, where she also served as chairman of the hostess committee, GA Director Choir member, church council member and General Mom of the Church.
She even rode Space Mountain with the best of them on Choir Tour.
Besides her mother, she is survived by her children, Don Thomas, Jr., and wife Linda, Darlene Brennan and Denise Fruastro; a sister, Patricia, and her husband , John Bryant; a brother, Lloyd, and wife, Jean Dunn; her sisters-in-law, Patricia Dunn and Sue Taylor; her foster sisters, Linda Davis and Carol Orozco; a daughter-in-law, Harriet Stone; 15 grandchildren 19 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and adopted sons and daughters.
She was predeceased by her husband, Donivan Thomas, Sr.; her father Archie Dunn; a brother, Burchard Dunn; a foster brother, Dwight Robson; a daughter, Mary Ellen Thomas; and a granddaughter, Malissa Thomas.
Phyllis Leonard
Phyllis M. Leonard, 77, of Gray, died April 27, 2001 at a Portland health-care facility after a long illness.
She was born in Concord, NH, daughter of Robert and Edith Brown.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Portland.
She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Robert Leonard, Sr., of Gray. a son, Robert Leonard, Jr., of Westbrook. a sister, Dorothy Kenard, of Jacksonville, FL. a brother, Robert Brown, of Watertown, MA. seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Burial will be in Blanchard Cemetery, Falmouth.
