1935
Claudette
2016
Claudette Gray
February 25, 1935 — February 28, 2016
Claudette (Taffy) Y. Gray, a life-long resident of Battle Creek, passed away Sunday, February 28, 2016 at Lakeview Senior Living after a lengthy illness at the age of 81.
Born in 1935 in Battle Creek, Taffy graduated from Lakeview High School in 1953 and married her high school sweetheart Donald Gray (LHS ’50) in the fall of 1953. Don preceded her in death in January 2006.
Taffy is survived by her sons D. Michael Gray (Vicky Clay) of Holland, MI, John Gray (Debora Thomas) of Rockford, MI, her daughter Tamara Pape (Michael) of Orlando, FL; Eight Grandchildren – Mindy Harris, Chris Gray, Lauren Benson, Tyler Gray, Caleb Pape, Camryn Harrington, Andrew Pape and Keegan Pape; and five great grandchildren, Liadan, Joshua, Ethan, Ezekiel and Eliza.
She is also survived by her sister Kathleen Parrish Woodside (Kenneth), brother Ralph Parrish and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Taffy was also preceded in death by her father Ralph Parrish in 1991, mother Elaine Lee in 1995, and sister Jeannene in 1945.
Other than a year spent in Boston while Don served in the U.S. Coast Guard, she lived and worked in Battle Creek. She worked as a teller at Security National Bank downtown, and as a secretary for Dr. Bonifer’s eye care office, the law office of Vandervoort, Christ, Fisher and McFee, and Transamerica Insurance Company.
Taffy was an avid Bridge player belonging to several bridge clubs including one group that has been playing together for over 50 years. She and Don liked to camp, canoe, and travel and enjoyed spending winters in Florida after his retirement from Kellogg’s. One of her favorite places was their cabin on Higgins Lake. She volunteered in the Lakeview schools as room-mom many times and was a cub scout troop leader. She will be remembered fondly for her friendliness, kindness and clever wit.
A Memorial Service will be held 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home with visitation from 1:00 p.m. until service time. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Binder Park Zoo. The family would like to thank the caregivers at Bronson at Home Hospice and the staff at Lakeview Senior Living for the extraordinary level of care they have provided. Her children and grandchildren would like to especially thank Kathleen and Kenneth Woodside and special cousin Judy Parrish for going above and beyond to always be first on hand when she needed help, ensure that she was always well taken care of and coordinating all of the extra services that her illnesses required. www.henryfuneralhome.org
Born in 1935 in Battle Creek, Taffy graduated from Lakeview High School in 1953 and married her high school sweetheart Donald Gray (LHS ’50) in the fall of 1953. Don preceded her in death in January 2006.
Taffy is survived by her sons D. Michael Gray (Vicky Clay) of Holland, MI, John Gray (Debora Thomas) of Rockford, MI, her daughter Tamara Pape (Michael) of Orlando, FL; Eight Grandchildren – Mindy Harris, Chris Gray, Lauren Benson, Tyler Gray, Caleb Pape, Camryn Harrington, Andrew Pape and Keegan Pape; and five great grandchildren, Liadan, Joshua, Ethan, Ezekiel and Eliza.
She is also survived by her sister Kathleen Parrish Woodside (Kenneth), brother Ralph Parrish and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Taffy was also preceded in death by her father Ralph Parrish in 1991, mother Elaine Lee in 1995, and sister Jeannene in 1945.
Other than a year spent in Boston while Don served in the U.S. Coast Guard, she lived and worked in Battle Creek. She worked as a teller at Security National Bank downtown, and as a secretary for Dr. Bonifer’s eye care office, the law office of Vandervoort, Christ, Fisher and McFee, and Transamerica Insurance Company.
Taffy was an avid Bridge player belonging to several bridge clubs including one group that has been playing together for over 50 years. She and Don liked to camp, canoe, and travel and enjoyed spending winters in Florida after his retirement from Kellogg’s. One of her favorite places was their cabin on Higgins Lake. She volunteered in the Lakeview schools as room-mom many times and was a cub scout troop leader. She will be remembered fondly for her friendliness, kindness and clever wit.
A Memorial Service will be held 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home with visitation from 1:00 p.m. until service time. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Binder Park Zoo. The family would like to thank the caregivers at Bronson at Home Hospice and the staff at Lakeview Senior Living for the extraordinary level of care they have provided. Her children and grandchildren would like to especially thank Kathleen and Kenneth Woodside and special cousin Judy Parrish for going above and beyond to always be first on hand when she needed help, ensure that she was always well taken care of and coordinating all of the extra services that her illnesses required. www.henryfuneralhome.org
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Claudette Gray, please visit our flower store.