Obituary of Violet Rennie Gray

Violet passed away peacefully in her sleep just a few weeks shy of her 95th birthday. She was born in Belvidere, Illinois, a small farm town 86 miles west of Chicago. In 1945 she married her elementary school sweetheart, Dale Gray. Dale was her next-door neighbor and best friend. They raised three sons in Belvidere; Larry, David and Stephen. In the late 1950's the family vacationed in Santa Cruz several times and in 1960 moved to Santa Cruz, pursuing a dream of living by the ocean. Violet was an active volunteer with the Red Cross and a beloved long-time member of Calvary Episcopal Church. Violet was preceded in death by her husband, Dale and eldest son, Larry. She is survived by her sons David (Shelley) and Stephen (Lee Ann), along with her grandchildren Sam, Ryan and Jenny. Memorial services and scattering of the ashes at sea are pending. In lieu of flowers or planting a tree, donations in Violet's memory can be made to Hospice of Santa Cruz County.