Dr. Joyce Lorraine Gray's Obituary
Dr. Joyce Gray, 87 of Schenectady, NY, passed away peacefully on March 3, 2023 after a lengthy battle with heart disease. Joyce was born to James Jansen and Catherine Jansen on December 5, 1935. After graduating from Union College Nursing School in Schenectady, NY. She also received her Master’s in Nursing at St. Anselm’s College in Goffstown, NH. Joyce married her late husband, Sherman Gray, in 1958 and established her home in Salem, NH. She and Sherman raised five children in their home on Haigh Ave and their doors were always open to their children’s many friends.
A proud nurse, Joyce went on to become the Head Nurse of pediatrics at Lawrence General Hospital in Lawrence, MA. In 1988, Joyce also became the founding Executive Director of Community Caregivers in Derry, NH. The organization started in Joyce Gray’s kitchen and is still going strong today. Later in life Joyce graduated with her Doctorate in Theology from Boston University and led her own parish in Lynn, and Stoneham, MA. Joyce was also an educator. She taught a number of college courses in nursing. In fact, she was teaching Death and Dying and Medical Ethic's to nurses up until a year ago at Rivier College in Nashua, NH. Joyce also supported several hospice programs. Joyce spearheaded and supported disadvantaged children and their families on Indian Reservations for many years.
Joyce Gray had a passion for enriching lives and supporting individuals to remain independent and in their homes for as long as possible. She did this through hard work and compassion and love.
Joyce Gray is survived her five children, Sherman Gray and his partner Sue Ann Devine, William Gray, Lorraine Gray, Deborah Gray, Robert Gray and his wife Amy Gray; by her foster children Brian Callahan and his wife Sherri Callahan, and David Callahan; by her five grandchildren, Corey Greenwood, Courtney Tanner and her husband Mike Tanner, Kendra Gelardi and her husband Anthony Geraldi, Anthony Gray, and Marissa Gray; and her three great grandchildren Adriana Gelardi, Joanna Tanner, Anthony Gelardi.
She is welcomed into heaven by her parents, late husband, daughter-in-law Jo-Ann Gray, and
companion Katherine Smathers.
Memorial donations may be made to: Community Caregivers of Greater Derry.
https://comcaregivers.org/
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