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Gary E. Gray Butte, MT QCWA # 19598 |
Gary E. Gray, 73, died July 19, 2015. He is now reunited in Heaven with family and best friend Marie. Gary was born May 4, 1942 in Missoula to Elwood and Willa Gray. He never tired of people telling him, "Hey, your first and last name have the same letters."
At the age of 12, Gary converted an AM receiver into a transmitter and was fascinated with electronics his entire life. He built his first amateur radio transmitter from scratch and began a 22-year career as a TV repair technician at age 16. Over the years, his repair reputation skills had several companies recruiting his employment. This career took him from Missoula to Spokane and back to Missoula until Ossello's recruited Gary to Butte in 1969. Gary fell in love with the character and people of Butte. As an FCC first class licensee, television stations in Butte and Missoula also tried to hire him. He always said the salary offers were so low that he found great satisfaction advising these broadcasters that "cheap labor is not good, and good labor is not cheap."
Gary worked for the Montana Power Company from 1980 until his retirement in 2000. While not a college degreed engineer, Gary designed electronic devices from the component level to the finished product for the Montana Power telecommunications department. He also designed and built several repeaters for the Power Company. He took great pride in modifying many commercial products to enhance their design criteria and fit uses manufactures said couldn't be done. As a foreman for the Montana Power Company, Gary enjoyed the comradeship of his charges and the traveling to each end of the state from mountain tops to cities he didn't know existed.
He was a licensed amateur radio operator (WA7MUU) for over 50 years. Gary was a past president of the Butte Amateur Radio Club and founding president of the Butte Amateur Radio Society. He designed and built several amateur radio VHF and UHF repeaters for both clubs.
In 1995 Gary married the best friend and partner a person could hope for in Marie Vukmanovich Sanderson. Gary was preceded in death by his wife Marie, sons Aaron and Eric, sister Barbara Gray, and parents. He is survived by son Scott Gray; daughter Shawn Gray; son Stephen Gray; grandchildren Matthew, Marcus, Meghan, and Andy; and two great-grandchildren, Lukas and Avery. Ne never tired of telling his friends how proud he was of his children and grandchildren and always reminded his family, "Life is for the living...so live every day."
In keeping with his request, cremation has taken place and there will be a small family gathering to honor his life. A private interment of ashes has taken place at Mountain View Cemetery.
CREDITS
Obituary/biography: http://mtstandard.com/news/local/obituaries/gary-e-gray/article_05d3739d-c188-5883-953e-029ca0dd4e7a.html
Photo #1: http://mtstandard.com