Richard Harrison Gray Jr.

Richard Harrison Gray, Jr., 68, of Coventry, Ct. beloved husband for 42 years to Donna C. (Wodarek) Gray, died peacefully on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at Hartford Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Born on 11/5/49 in Providence, RI, he grew up in Warwick, RI, graduated from Pilgrim High School and enlisted in the Navy serving during the Vietnam War as an Aircraft Mechanic. In doing so, he continued the Navy tradition his uncles began in WWII. This tradition continues today as his nephew, Captain Paolo DeLuca, USMC, serves as a Naval Aviator.  Rick had a 40 year career with Pratt & Whitney in South Windsor and Middletown, CT.  He earned an Associate's Degree from Manchester Community College. He was a Boston Red Sox, Patriots and UConn Basketball fan. He loved American History, cooking and fishing on his boat, the Donna Sea kept in Niantic, cruises to Bermuda and a special cruise to the Panama Canal which fulfilled a lifelong dream. A good, honest man he will be missed by many. Besides his wife Donna, he is survived by his siblings; Karen (Jimmy) Tavis, Susan (Mike) Parker, Howard (Deb) Gray, Debbie (Mark) Rea, Janet (Michael) DeLuca and his sister- in- law, Debbie Leduc.  Nieces and nephews; Becky (Brian) Fuller, Rachel (Derek) Noel, Debbie (Tommy) Denton, Sarah (Charles) Kannon, Melissa Parker, Brandon (Rachel) Gray, Steven Gray and his fiancé Bianca Coppa, Bethany Rea, Christopher (Abi) Rea, Angelina (David) Hastie, Joseph Rea, Paolo DeLuca, Michaela DeLuca, Liz Leduc & Andy Pevehouse, Jared (Courtney) Leduc and goddaughter, Alicia (Root) Tapper; great- nieces and nephews; Brianna, Karyssa, Aiden, Cade, Amber, Audrey,Grayson, Grant ,Landon, Winston, Spencer,Miah, Megan, Jackson, Bennett, Luca, Gentry, Ellie, Brantley, Alexandra, Iris, Dylan, and Reese; aunts, uncles, cousins in Maine, Florida, Conn. and Nevada.  He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Gladys Cochrane of Florida.  He was pre-deceased by his grandparents; Howard and Clara Gray, William and Gladys Grant, his father Richard H. Gray Sr., mother Barbara (Grant) Gray and father-in-law Frank E. Wodarek.

Heartfelt thanks to Dr. Michael Keenan, Dr. Pragda Kapadia, Dr. Jeffrey Spiro, Dr. Clinton Kuwada and Dr. Frank Siracusa, for the care he received on his last day of life; the Manchester para-medics, the staff in the Windham Hospital ED, the crew on the Life Star flight, the Hartford Hospital ED and the caring and respectful 10th floor Cardiac ICU staff including Dr. Tim Boyle, Ryan the RT, Christine his Nurse and Chaplin Erica.    

Richard’s family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday August 19, 2018 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. Willimantic. A Celebration of Rick's Life will begin at 2:00pm at the funeral home.  His ashes will be scattered in Long Island Sound and at sea from a Naval Vessel at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his name to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 or www.jimmyfund.org/gift.   For an online memorial guestbook please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com.

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