Philip Baxter Gray, age 70, of 6 Jeremy Hill Rd, North Stonington, died Tuesday morning at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital after a brief illness.
He was born in Westerly on January 30, 1933 the son of the late Philip Enos Gray and Esther (Peterson) Gray. Raised in North Stonington, he attended local schools.
Mr. Gray enjoyed a long, distinguished career at Davis Standard Co., beginning in September, 1953 and later retiring as a Mechanical Designer in 1997 after 44 years of service.
Active in community and civic affairs, he had served as past master of the of the Stonington Grange, and was a member of the North Stonington Congregational Church, the North Stonington Historical Society, and was an active member of the Wheeler Library.
In his spare time, he enjoyed reading, golf, travel, studying the Scottish Heritage and was a friendly familiar sight at area yard sales.
Mr. Gray leaves his children, Elida G. Madeira of Voluntown and Paul A. Gray of Pawcatuck; his siblings, Frederick D. Gray of Silver Spring, MD, and Ruth P. Lambert of Warwick, RI and his former wife and friend, Anne L. Tourtellotte Gray.
POST-SERVICE NOTICE:"Baxter's" Service was conducted at the North Stonington Congregational Church on Friday at 11am under snowy conditions. The Rev. Rachel Fay Dunn, Pastor, officiated with special words of remembrance by Baxter's son and daughter. At the conclusion of the service, "Baxter's" casket was pushed by his oldest grandson, assisted by Director John baldwin, led by Rev. Dunn and Bagpiper Bob Scent.
Because of the wintery conditions, which the family attributed to Baxter's desire to keep arrangements "low-key", his burial in the family plot in Wheeler Cemetery will be at a late date.
Donations may be made to the Wheeler Library, PO Box 217, North Stonington 06359, the North Stonington Historical Society, 1 Wyassup Road, No. Stonington, of the North Stonington Grange P&H 138, Wyassup Rd, North Stonington.