Obituary of Jean GRAY

Mrs. Jean Gray, age 93, passed away the morning of Wednesday, October 15, 2014 in Calgary Foothills hospital as a result of complications following a broken hip. Jean was born in Roseburg, Oregon on February 14, 1921, the niece of the department store founder, J. C. Penney. She is survived by her loving husband Lee; son Tim; daughter Michelle; granddaughter Holly; and great-granddaughter Frances. She was predeceased by her son Gary. Jean received a Masters degree in Social Work in the 1940’s from the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado. She married Lee in 1950 in Billings, Montana and together they moved to Calgary in 1954. Jean was a caring and giving individual, and always gave unsparingly of herself. In 1957 she acted as convenor for the first of several fund raisers with the Jaycettes. For more than 25 years, from 1956 to 1982, Jean volunteered with the Anglican Women Auxiliary, working in several capacities doing whatever needed to be done. From 1963 to 1975, she volunteered with the Alberta Society for the Visually Impaired and transcribed a large number of textbooks to braille in addition to adding innovative “touch-graphics” based on the different textures of various materials. The Canadian Cancer Society was another of Jean’s interests and from 1971 to 1975, in addition to working for the Society, she was the Residential Blitz Chair for Southwest Calgary. Throughout her busy family and volunteer life, Jean always found time to enjoy her hobby of quilt making. In 1970 she was elected Chairman of the Alberta Handicrafts Guild, a guild of over 200 members. Her skill with a needle was unsurpassed and she received several honours for her work. The Calgary Exhibition and Stampede recognized her with Special Service Awards for the years of 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1998. Her signature quilt, “Crazy Friends”, was on special display at the Nickel Arts Museum Quilt show and was later chosen to hang at Canada House in London, England for six months. The quilt is now part of the permanent collection of the Textile Department of the University of Alberta. In 1992 she was one of the first quilters in Alberta to become an accredited judge with the American Quilters’ Society. In 1985 she started to make quilts for the Ronald McDonald house project. In October of 2006 she was honoured for having completed more than 500 charity quilts that continue to warm the souls and hearts of children and adults throughout Calgary. In 2007 she was recognized as a Quilter of Distinction and featured during that summer’s Festival of Quilts at Heritage Park in Calgary. A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, October 27, 2014 at 1:30 PM at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, 1121 - 14 Ave SW, Calgary, where Jean was a parishioner.