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Ocala
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Richard Gray

Richard Gray
Richard Gray

Dick Gray, 82, loving husband of Jo Ann (Rice) of 62 years, passed away peacefully on April 2, 2022, following complications from a long battle with COPD.

Born in Hammond, Indiana in 1939, he attended Wilson Elementary, Edison Junior High and Hammond High School until his family moved to Danville, Illinois. Dick graduated from Danville High School and Danville Junior College.Dick married Jo Ann Rice in Danville in 1959, and they moved north where Dick worked for Universal Atlas/Lehigh Cement Company (Gary, IN), a division of US Steel, as a Research Lab Technician for 30 years. Active in his local union, he was elected President of the Office & Technical Workers USWA Local 3443 and was proud to serve the members for six years in the 70’s.

Dick and Jo Ann lived in Munster, Indiana from 1960-1990 raising three daughters, Toni, Leslie, and René, all graduates of Munster High School.

Among his many interests and hobbies, Dick enjoyed sports, travel and local politics most. In the 1970’s he coached his daughters’ softball teams and served as a softball umpire throughout Lake County. An avid “scratch” golfer he played almost every weekend with his buddies at Wicker Park. Our family enjoyed many summer road trip vacations together and one of the best was the summer of 1971 when Dick, Jo Ann and the girls set out for six weeks to discover the west. We visited every National Park and tourist attraction between Chicago and Seattle then south to Oregon, California, Mexico and back through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Iowa. Dick and Jo Ann captured this entire vacation in snap shots and 8mm film which we converted to DVD’s many years ago to keep the memories.

Dick & Jo Ann also traveled throughout the Caribbean Islands for many years. A passionate man of the sea, Dick enjoyed sailing, scuba diving and fishing while in the tropics and in Florida. Dick happily volunteered as the local Precinct Democratic Committee Chairman in the late 70’s working with many of our neighbors and friends in Munster to register voters and represent Lake County at various political events.

Fortunate to fully retire after 30 years from Lehigh in 1990, Dick & Jo moved to Deep Creek in Port Charlotte, Florida, building a new home for hosting and entertaining northern family and friends. Dick played 18 with his Florida friends EVERY day and maybe another 9 in the afternoon with Jo Ann.

In 2004, Dick & Jo Ann downsized and moved to Ocala, Florida finding their current home in the “55 & Over” On Top of the World Community. His daily golf matches with his new Ocala buddies continued until 2019 when COPD prevented him from playing. Dick was one of the RARE retirement stories of a guy who was fortunate to be retired for more years than he worked!

Dick is survived by his wife Jo Ann, daughters Toni of Bloomington, Indiana; Leslie of Irvine, California; René Mayginnes (Kyle) of Washington, Illinois; four grandchildren and two great grandsons.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Dick’s name to the wonderfully compassionate hospice facility Cates House in Ocala, FL where Dick was cared for during his final days. The address is: Hospice of Marion County, 3231 SW 34th Ave., Ocala, FL 34474.