Sharon Lee Gray

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A note from Rick.

My Mom (Sharon Lee Gray)  a loving and caring mother to David W Gray, me, and Daniel Gray) passed away on Dec 4th. She was incredibly strong (surviving breast cancer four times), very intelligent with a quick wit, and loved being outdoors. She also loved playing games (e.g., Kings, Scrabble, crossword puzzles, Word with Friends), reading, and cats. She was an amazing caretaker for my Dad at the end and always made holidays and family time special and meaningful. She kept in touch with her Grandchildren (Peter, Rebecca, and Katherine) who have found memories of visiting her in Prescott. She loved antiques and fulfilled her dream of owning an Antique business (Aunt Sherry’s Antiques) with numerous locations over the years (MA & AZ), some in beautiful historic houses.

What I remember most is our peaceful times together in Prescott feeding the birds, watering the flowers, watching movies (although she tended to fall asleep on the couch), talking and playing games. I also fondly recall our family movie and game nights (she taught me how to play bridge and “Dictionary”) and camping in our pop up camper across the country (e.g. Montreal, Nova Scotia, Colorado, DC, Disney World, but mostly New Hampshire).

I LOVE you and MISS YOU MOM!

Rick

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A note from Dave.

Food was mom’s love language. Whenever I would visit she would ask what I wanted to eat. She couldn’t sit still until I had a plate of cheese and crackers or yummy snack. 

On every birthday, holiday, or occasion there would be a card from mom in the mail, with a handwritten note and some photos or newspaper clippings. She was always thinking of her kids and clipping out articles and things that might be interesting to them.

After we got her an iPad, we would play words with friends, and we played every day. It was a way of keeping contact, a tiny touch that said I love you and I’m thinking about you. She loved scrabble, crossword puzzles, and card games.

When I was visiting we would share the daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper. She would work on it until she was stumped and hand it over to me. Then I would work on it until I was stumped and hand it back.

I remember when she first got her breast cancer diagnosis. It was in the 80’s I think. It was a shock to all of us but I noticed she changed a lot because of that. She started living more for herself and doing more of what she wanted instead of what was expected of her. This is when she started her own antiques and collectibles business, going out to yard sales, estate sales, and renting booths in antique malls. At one point she had booths all over the northeast.

When my dad retired and they moved to Prescott she kept that up, working part-time in an antique mall in Prescott (Does anyone know the name of that place?). Pennington’s.

She loved Michelle like the daughter she had always wanted, and Michelle loved her back like a daughter.

Love you Mom and miss you terribly,

Dave

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A note from Dan.

I remember playing hide and seek with Mom when I was very young.

She always did something for the holidays and enjoyed family and get togethers with our neighbors the Whites.

The house was decorated during Christmas and our stockings were full of little surprises.

Every holiday she would send a card that was thoughtful and a handwritten note usually with a nice memory included.

She was frugal and clipped coupons frequently but didn’t like to go to the cheaper stores.

She filled her house with old furniture and things that reminded her of a different time when things were made of high quality and built to last.

She loved hearing stories of when her boys were young. 

She liked playing card games.

When I was young we played ping pong a lot. 

She was happy when others were happy.

She was tough and always seemed to be the one taking care of things. She took care of her husband as he grew old. One time she cut her finger pretty badly and it was bleeding and her son and husband struggled to find bandaids and treat her but she just ended up doing it herself with one hand.

She loved flowers and birds and would sit outside and feed the birds and tend to the garden, water the plants and fill the bird bath.

She stayed in her home up until she only had a few days left to live.

Dan

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A note from Shelly

My bond with my Aunt Sherry goes back to my first year of birth when she made my Christmas stocking to match ones that my Grandmother made prior to her death.  This was such a thoughtful act of love from her and one I would experience many more times in my life.

Instead of buying Christmas & Birthday presents for each other, my Mom and Aunt would put money into a savings account and use it to travel to see each other.  I am so thankful for this as I got to grow up knowing my cousins and experiencing the east coast.  I have so many great memories of the salt air, riding in the station wagon, eating ice cream and fried clams from the roadside stands.  

My Aunt taught me about antiques and my favorite experiences during the summer I spent there centered around visiting antique festivals and yard sales.  We really enjoyed those times together and I felt as if she was my second Mom.    The smell of an antique store still floods all of my senses and brings tears to my eyes now that she is gone.

My favorite times were when I got to spend time with my Aunt and my Mom together.  Hearing their stories while playing Kings was the best and I loved continuing that tradition when visiting in Prescott after my Mom passed.  We stayed in touch playing Words with Friends for several years when we weren’t together. 

Losing her has left such a void as she was the last part of my Mom that I had.  I am truly blessed to have had two such loving and thoughtful influences in my life and can only hope to make them proud for the remainder of my life.  

Shelly Fendly

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