  Denison Herald April 22, 1990 GRAY PORTRAYS LIFE FULL OF HAPPINESS by Cindy Speck Bill Gray, his wife Thelma, and their 12 children decided to paint their house lavender, when the mailman kept mistaking their mail for their neighbors. "The mailman kept getting our mail mixed up with our neighbors' because 4 houses on our corner were all white. We merely painted our house a lavender color to solve the problem," said Gray. Gray has been teaching school off and on since 1949, and in the meantime he and his wife have raised a family of 9 boys and 3 girls. Previously he was a proof reader as an apprentice for a newspaper,served in the Air Force as a multi-engine pilot, attended a monastery, worked as a jet mechanic instructor, sold Child Craft and World Book, and worked in retailing at Montgomery Ward and Lilley's Men's Store. Latin and music education, distinguished from other subjects, are the main courses taught by Gray. He has attended the University of North Texas and majored in music education. His degree consists of 145 hours and allows him to teach any level of music. Using his music education degree and his background in Latin, he has accomplished many things throughout his teaching career. While teaching chorus at Borger Junior High, he began a Latin program for the school that is still operating today. He served one year as education music director at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, which was their only time to have the program. After teaching school for 41 years, Gray finds working with the students to be the main advantage to teaching. "I enjoy students. Especially when someone overcomes a difficulty in learning and learns something they are going to need." said Gray. Aside from teaching, he ranks his family and religion as top priorities. Each of his sons attended the Subiaco Catholic boys' school from the 9th to the 12th grades. His daughters remained at Denison High School. They have all attended college or established a firm career for themselves. Their careers range from a laser specialty to a mailman and from a social counselor to a Catholic seminarian. Three of the children decided to follow in their father's footsteps and became teachers. Three younger children remain in college at the University of Texas in Austin and the University of North Texas for business majors and at Texas Women's University for an art major. And still, the two youngest boys are attending Subiaco. After retirement Gray hopes to write a book, do more gardening, paint, write more music, and live happily ever after in his lavender house with his wife and children.  Denison High School History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |