Donna Mae Gray

Donna Mae Gray, 86, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, fell asleep in death on Monday, December 25, 2023, at her Fairwinds home in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Donna was born on June 23, 1937, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was the youngest of three children born to Alvin Leroy and Belva (Irwin) Taylor; Douglas Lamont "Monty", Carol Marie and Donna Mae. Donna attended Eagle Rock Elementary, Hawthorne Elementary, and O.E. Bell Junior High. She attended Idaho Falls High School; however, on January 15, 1954, Donna married Jerry Kent Gray, her navy sailor, before having graduated. She later went on to receive her GED and furthered her education with honors in secretarial school at the Eastern Idaho Vo-Tech, now known as CEI.

Donna and Jerry had four children. She focused on raising her family and being a homemaker for much of her married life. She and her older sister Carol were very close throughout their lives. Donna loved to crochet, exercise (golf), and garden. The family had horses and got involved in cutter races for a time.

When Donna and Jerry first got married, Jerry played the steel guitar. As the children came along, they became a musical family. As a family they would hold jam sessions in their basement, singing and playing the piano, drums, the acoustic and rhythm guitars.

Donna and Jerry began studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses, and after a thorough study of the Bible they were both baptized in 1958. Recalling the many years they spent in the ministry as Jehovah's Witnesses, Donna helped many come to an accurate knowledge of Bible truths. She looked for every opportunity to share the good news of the Kingdom.

Her husband Jerry built her a plant room where she had lots of indoor plants and a nice couch where she would spend considerable time enjoying her coffee while immersing herself in the scriptures.

Donna will be remembered for her sense of humor, and that she was thoughtful, kind, loving, faithful and appreciative of everything that people did for her. While residing at Fairwinds, if visitors were to come around mealtime, she would delay her meal in order to visit with the friends, taking a personal interest in them. She felt like she could always eat later.

Donna and Jerry were snowbirds in Arizona for the first 10 years after retirement, and had many friends in Quartzite.  Unfortunately, in 2010, Jerry suffered a heart attack, and in 2011, a stroke, which then confined them to the Ammon, Idaho area. After 66 years of marriage, sadly, Donna lost Jerry in death in 2020.

Donna took comfort in knowing that Jerry will remain in Jehovah's memory until he is resurrected back to life on a paradise earth with her. (Psalm 37:29)

Donna is survived in death by her children: Andrew Gray, Laurie Ann (Rick) Chase, Jerry Kent Gray Jr., all of Idaho and Angela Kaye Gray of Oregon; she also had 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 8 great-great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the staff at Fairwinds and OneSource Hospice, and all those who helped in so many ways. Your kind thoughts and prayers are much appreciated.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 13, 2024, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 4805 Sweetwater Way, Ammon ID  83406. There will be an online link to the service available at the Wood Funeral Home website.

The service will be available via Zoom.