RITES HELD FOR FRANK GRAY WEDNESDAY

Odd Fellows Honor Member of Forty Five Years

A. F. Gray, well know in Blair and Washington county, died in a Norfolk hospital last Monday as the result of a paralytic stroke suffered in 1935.

Deceased was born at Elmwood, Illinois January 26th, 1868. He was one of ten children, of whom two sisters and three brothers survive

. He came to Blair in 1887, and in 1894 was married to Miss Retta Sutherland. They immediately started housekeeping in Omaha where Mr. Gray had employment. Three years later they established a home near Blair on a farm. This occupation he followed for a number of years, but finally moved to Blair.

Upon making their residence in Blair, he became the agent for the Farmers Mutual Insurance Co. of Lincoln. He wrote insurance for this company until he suffered the stroke in 1935. During this time he served on the council for two years.

He has been a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge for fifty two years, and the last rites were under the direction of the lodge, with Rev. T. J. Reese of Jefferson, Iowa and Rev. Ralph P. Rasmussen of Blair officiating at the ceremonies which were held at the Bendorf Funeral Home. Interment was made in the Blair cemetery.

The bereaved wife and daughter have the sympathies of a host of friends.

#2-Pilot Tribune 27 April 1939

Frank Gray Dies Monday At Age 73

Long A Blair Resident, Mr. Gray Buried Yesterday Afternoon

A. F. “Frank” Gray, 73, for many years a well-known resident of Blair, and one-time city councilman, who left here a few years ago, died Monday. Immediate survivors include his wife and a daughter, Miss Dorothy Gray, both residing in Fremont.

The body was returned to Blair and funeral services were held at 2 p.m. yesterday at the Bendorf Funeral Home, the Rev. Thomas J. Reese, Baptist pastor at Jefferson, Iowa, formerly of Blair, and the Rev. Ralph P. Rasmussen, pastor of First Methodist church of this city, officiating.

Members of the I.O.O.F. Lodge, an organization to which Mr. Gray had belonged for 52 years, had charge of graveside services preceding interment in Blair cemetery.

Alexander Franklin Gray was born January 26, 1866, at Elmwood, Illinois, one of ten children. He came to Omaha in 1887. On October 10, 1894, he was married in Blair to Miss Retta Sutherland. After living in Omaha three years, where Mr. Gray was employed by the Omaha Street Railway company, they moved to a farm near Blair. Later moving into this city, Mr. Gray became agent for the Farmers Mutual Insurance company of Lincoln, serving in this capacity until suffering a paralytic stroke in 1935. Mr. Gray also had served two terms as a city councilman here.

Surviving Mr. Gray besides his wife and daughter, are three brothers, Ward H. Gray of Beach, North Dakota, C. H. Gray of Denver and Arthur A. Gray of Rome, Illinois; and two sisters, Mrs. Fred H. Barnes of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Mrs. Ed Bennett of Chillicothe, Illinois. A brother, W. E. Gray, died March 1.

Find a Grave Memorial #114947355

Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clipping on file at the Blair Public Library.