Forrest Walter Gray

Forrest Walter Gray, age 90, of La Grande, died February 25, 2012 at a local care facility. A celebration of life will be at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 11, 2012 at Daniels~Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 7th Street in La Grande.

Forrest was born on June 7, 1921, the son of Walter and Edna (Welham) Gray in Nebraska. He moved to Willamina, Oregon in his teen years and graduated from high school there. Although Forrest tried to join the service to fight in World War Two, a battle with hepatitis earlier in his life left him ineligible. Instead he joined the Merchant Marines, the ships that brought supplies to the troops through dangerous waters around the world. One German attack sank all but the ship Forrest was on and an investigation revealed a German spy on board.

Forrest built a number of businesses after the war, but his two passions were politics and the women he loved. While docked in New York City during the war he met and married, Maria. Maria was a refugee from the Nazi occupied France. She had been a gifted violinist and known and respected in the music and art world, but a sadistic attack left her unable to play. She had a tragic past and the two left her emotionally vulnerable. She was unable to endure the separations during Forrest's time in the merchant Marines. When Forrest returned after the war he found her unable to care for herself and unable to believe in him. He stayed with her and watched over her until he found someone he could trust to be loving and kind to her until she passed away.



On October 6, 1946 he married Mary Crockett in Grand Junction, Colorado. He worked in sheet metal in Grande Junction, but moved to Oregon to be near his family. Forrest and Mary moved to La Grande in 1953. While raising their children he supported Mary wholeheartedly when she went back to get a teaching degree. She later went on to get her Master Degree in Special Education, a developing field as a consequence of new federal legislation mandating support accommodation for the disabled. He was proud of her at a time in history when women were relegated to the home and careers were discouraged. He continued to support Mary throughout her career and they had long talks about her students and how best to teach and support them. He loved being her sounding board.



After Mary passed away in November 30, 1990 he married Elsie Komma. It was a family joke that during the time Elsie and her husband had their grocery business Forrest frequently infuriated her when she had business dealings with him. With spouses passed away they found each other and loved each other deeply. On March 28, 1991 they married. Forrest loved to take her traveling, but as her health slowly faded they stayed at home, enjoying close family and friends. Forrest lost Elsie on July 21, 2009.



Beverly Connolly, a dear friend of Elsie's who lost her husband just days earlier, kept in touch with him and they supported each other through this difficult time. This friendship developed into a love that Forrest carried to the end of his days.

Forrest was a life-long Democrat. His political beliefs were influenced by the Great Depression. Having watched a classmate quietly starve to death during the depression he passionately believed in a United States that fostered freedom, education, and a political structure that did not favor the wealthy at the expense of middle class and poor. Forrest was very active and influential in the Democratic Party in Colorado and in Oregon, both at the local and the state level. He championed causes that spoke for those that had no voice. He hosted Jackie Kennedy when she came to La Grande to campaign for her husband. He served on the county planning commission in Union County for a number of years. He supported many political and charitable organizations throughout his life, particularly ones that focused on those that are born disadvantaged due to poverty, race, or are otherwise marginalized.

Survivors include his children, Phil Gray of Mozambique, Africa, Dahli Gray of Baltimore, Maryland and Deborah (Gray) and Matt Reilly of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; foster daughter and her husband, Karen and David Waln of Summerville; seven grandchildren; five great grandchildren; dear and beloved friend, Beverly Connolly of Wallowa County; and other relatives and friends.

Those who wish may make contributions in memory of Forrest to the Obama Campaign or the Democratic Party in care of Daniels~Knopp.

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