Jerome "Jerry" William Gray, Jr.

A Life Well Lived: Jerome William Gray Jr.

February 20, 1946 – February 12, 2026

Jerome William Gray Jr. (Jerry) was born on February 20, 1946 to his mother Mamie Gray and father Jerome William Gray Sr. Jerry spent his years building a life defined by dedication, hard work, quiet strength, and deep love for his family. On February 12, 2026, he traded the limits of this world for the freedom of Heaven.

He did not leave quietly - because the kind of life he lived doesn’t fade out. It echoes. In laughter. In stories. In the habits and values he passed down that will keep showing up for generations.

Jerry was many things in one lifetime: a sailor, a husband, a father, a brother, a grandfather, a storyteller, a fixer of things, a keeper of traditions, and the steady presence people leaned on without always realizing it.

He began his service to the United States Navy in 1964 aboard the USS Constellation. That commitment to service continued long after his active-duty years, as he went on to serve as a civilian with the Navy until his retirement in 2006. His decades of dedication shaped his discipline, loyalty, and deep love for his country.

But his greatest title was the one he carried at home.

For 48 years, he loved his wife, Dong Hi Gray, faithfully and fully - the kind of love built from shared routines, quiet sacrifices, and thousands of ordinary days that became extraordinary simply because they were lived together.

He raised two children who carry pieces of him in the way they think, the way they work, and the way they love their own families: his son Jeremy Gray (Mandi) and daughter Jennifer Gray (Josh). His legacy continues through his beloved grandchildren, Bailey Krikstan, Reagan Gray, Roman Gray, and Tyler Johns, who knew him as a steady hand, a warm smile, and a safe place.

Jerry is also survived by the siblings who knew him first and shared the earliest chapters of his story: Sue Matthews (Alvin), Mark Gray (Rita), and Linda Fergusen (Mike).

He was proud of many things in life, but never in a loud way. His pride showed up in the way he showed up: consistently, quietly, reliably. He built a life centered on his belief in Jesus, family, service, and doing what needed to be done - even when no one was watching.

If you were looking for him, chances are he was outside. He loved antique cars - restoring them, bringing them back to life, and proudly showcasing the craftsmanship and patience that went into every detail. He found joy in working with his hands, whether under the hood of a car, in the yard, or riding his tractor across the land he cared for so deeply. Hard work wasn’t a chore to him - it was simply how he showed love.

As a father, he believed life should be experienced, not just lived. Family vacations were not optional - they were tradition. He made sure his children saw new places – always nature oriented, learned new things, and understood that the world was bigger than their backyard. Those trips became lifelong memories and a legacy of curiosity and adventure that continues through his family today.

He believed in hard work. In loyalty. In taking care of your people. In humor when things got heavy. In the simple joys that turn into lifelong memories.

The world feels different without him in it. But the truth is, he isn’t gone from the places that matter most. He lives in the stories that will be told again and again. In the lessons that will be repeated. In the traditions that will continue because he started them.

His life was not defined by the day it ended, but by the decades of love and impact that came before it.

And that story will keep being written by the people who love him most.

A viewing will be held Thursday, February 19th at 10:30am with a service following at 11:30am at Thornton Funeral Home in Indian Head, MD.

Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.