LUCY MARIE GRAY

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LUCY MARIE GRAY

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Lucia Marie Gray, on January 3, 2023. Lucy was about to celebrate her 93rd birthday.



Lucy will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 70 years, Bernie, her seven children, Gary (Karen), Don (Laura), Alan (Annette), Randy (Karen), Sharon (Mike, ob.), Dianne (Wayne) and Suzanne (Martin), her brother Leo (Shirley) and sisters Mary (Jim) and Leona as well as 18 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.



Lucy was born in her parents' home in Wishart, Saskatchewan. She was the fourth of nine children born to John and Sofie Borsa. Lucy was very close with her siblings and their spouses, Rose (Chester), Edmond (Elsie), Stella (Pappy), Joe (Pat), Mary (Jim), Leonard (Julie), Leo (Shirley) and Leona. They enjoyed frequent reunions and travel experiences together.



Lucy's first job was that of a telephone switchboard operator. That must have been exceedingly difficult for her as she loved to be part of a good conversation. Lucy accomplished a goal she had since she was 10 years old, and that was to become a teacher. She taught in a one-room schoolhouse for only three years but went on to put her teaching skills to effective use in raising her seven children. She would say, being a mother, was the most important and satisfying job of her life.



Lucy married Bernie, the love of her life, in Krasne, Saskatchewan on July 25, 1953. She was so clever that when she was dating Bernie, they started a code that they would use over the party line to say, "I love you." They would ask "How's the weather there?" and the other would say "Its storming terribly." They shared this sweet secret code throughout their entire life together, and it was something she responded to even through her dementia.



Once the children were all in school, Lucy worked a temp job with Manitoba Autopac. She later went on to get her real estate license and became a successful agent. Mom was such a social person that her favourite job was ultimately her last one. That was with Executive Welcome Wagon, where she welcomed and introduced top executives to Winnipeg. In fact, Lucy's personality and communication skills were also instrumental in Bernie's' career as well as their various entrepreneurial endeavours which included a horse racing and breeding program and real estate development.



Lucy loved God, her family, a strong G & T, reading, colorful jokes, baseball, and given her competitiveness, scrabble and any other game that involved gambling.



Advice that Lucy lived by and taught her children to do the same was, "Do the very best you can and when things seem impossible, leave it to God's will." and "Always keep your sense of humor."



The Gray Family would like to thank all the admin staff, nurses and health care aids on the first floor (north wing) at Golden Links Lodge for the excellent care and love they gave Mom in her last year.



A Christian mass will be held at Christ the King Church, 847 St. Mary's Road, on Tuesday, January 9 at 11:30 a.m. with a luncheon to follow. A private internment will take place later that day.



Six grandsons are proud to be Lucy's honorary pallbearers: Brian Gray, Steven Taylor, Tim Gray, Sam Kuzyk, Ryan Wysocki and Quinn Anderson.



In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lucy's memory to the Golden Links Lodge Recreation Program. You may mail cheques to 2280 St. Mary's Road, Winnipeg, MB, R2N 3Z6.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 06, 2024, Jan 06, 2024