January 20, 1926 ~ January 28, 2020 – (age 94)Dale Gray, 94, passed away Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at Beehive Homes in Perry, Utah.
Dale was born January 20, 1926 in McCall, Idaho the son of Alma May Maulding and Charles Gray. He had two siblings, Lyle and Barbara. Dale spent his childhood in the Palisades Idaho Ranger Station with his brother and sister where his dad was a master forest ranger for the Targee National Forest. Dale graduated from Idaho Falls High School in 1944. After graduation, he enlisted in the US Navy. While in the Navy, he fought in World War II primarily in the Philippines. He was honorably discharged from the US Navy as an Aviation Technician Mate, second class on July 6, 1946.
Dale married Kathleen Johnson on June 20, 1947 in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. Dale and Kathleen had five children: Charles Stanley, Susan, Larry Reed, Christopher Phillip and Kathleen Diane.
Dale graduated from Utah State University with an Engineering Degree.
Dale was an early pioneer in developing nuclear power reactors. He first worked in the Idaho Reactor Research Facility. Because of his skills and personality to work well with others, he was assigned to help install the first reactor in a nuclear submarine, the Nautalus. Next, he was assigned to work on the Three Mile Island nuclear residential power plant. This work then took him to Texas to manage the installation of a nuclear reactor in the first merchant ship Savannah. The country was then ready for attempts to develop nuclear rocket engines, which was done outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. His final pioneering activity involved developing alternate methods of capturing energy from nuclear reactions, he finished this work in the Tri Cities Washington.
Dale served faithfully in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as Bishop and in the Stake Presidency. He and Kathy served a full-time mission in the Guam Micronesia Mission. They then served as Family History Missionaries in the Church Archive Vaults in Little Cottonwood Canyon. He and Kathy then served as Church service missionaries, ushering in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. After Kathy died, Dale served as an ordinance worker in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.
After moving to Alpine in 1998 to live with Stan and Sue, Dale established a private picture framing shop. Many enjoy his work in their homes and businesses. His favorite framing activity was creating memorabilia framing photos for young couples wedding announcements. Many will remember him for years because of these generous gifts. He always said, “Everyone has a picture they want framed.”
Because he always shared Hersey Kisses in his shop, he became affectionately known as “Chocolate Grandpa”.
Dale aged gracefully. He eventually lost mobility. You could find him on his electric cart visiting with neighbors and friends. He was loved and will be missed by many friends and family.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Kathleen, parents and siblings.
He is survived by his children: Stan and Susan Gray, Susan and Richard Bowen, Larry and Suzanne Gray, Chris and Meghan Gray, and Kathleen Diane and Jerry Tulak, 23 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 2:00pm at the Perry 1st Ward Chapel, 1290 West 2950 South, Perry, Utah. A viewing will be held prior to the services at 12:30 – 1:30pm at the Church.
Interment will be held at the Rosehill Cemetery in Idaho Falls, Idaho on Monday, February 10, 2020 at 11:00am.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at myers-mortuary.com