Joseph Washington Gray Jr.

Joe “Double” Gray, died peacefully at home in Seattle, Washington, on Sunday, November 28, 2010 after a long and courageous battle with the devastating effects of dementia and a stroke. He was 67 years old. Joe left the loving arms of his wife to join his father Joseph W. Gray, Sr., his mother Creigh (Buford) Gray, and his sister Creigh J. Gray, all who predeceased him.

Mr. Gray is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Ferrell-Gray of Seattle, his sister Joyce (Kalman) Haty of Seattle; children and step-children Joseph W. Gray III of Seattle, Kori M. (Linda) Gray of Bremerton, Myia O. McMichael of Tacoma, William Simmons of Seattle, and Misty (Ronald) Adams of Mesa, Arizona; nieces Tiffany, Angela, and Creigh Haty of Seattle; grandchildren and step-grandchildren Kori Gray, Kenneth Bittala, and Epihany Ahmad of Bremerton; Tameka, Makala, and Harold McMichael of Tacoma; Dominique McCoy and Azaria Simmons of Seattle; and numerous loving in-laws who mourn his passing. He also leaves long-time and beloved friends Ed Acena, Wayne Gee, Terry Johnson, Al Cline, and many others.

A graduate of Franklin High School, Joe Gray was a proud and loyal member of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 302, and worked in shipyards as well as at major construction projects in Seattle, Aberdeen, and Wenatchee. He also worked out of Local 701 in Portland, Oregon, and Southwest Washington. A heavy equipment and crane operator, Joe helped build or improve many important structures around the state, including Rocky Reach Dam and the second phase of the Bonneville Dam. His last employer was the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton.

Often holding up to three jobs at a time, Joe was a hard worker and a good provider. In his leisure time, he liked to thrift shop, work on his rental properties, spend time with his family, and travel in his RV. He especially loved to visit the Long Beach Peninsula, sharing his laughter with the family and teasing all the kids.

A fixture on the Seattle music scene in the 50s and 60s, Joe’s nickname of “Double” was well-deserved. He always knew where to have the best fun and was willing to get in a little trouble to have a lot of it. Even as Joe’s body and mind began to betray him, he could be roused by calling out his nickname. He may have been unable to respond verbally, but that mischievous look on his face and twinkle in his eye still had a way of letting you know that Double was ever capable of being the trickster.

Joe was a friend and classmate of Jimi Hendrix during their Washington Junior High School days. Joe’s guitar was often as much Jimi’s as Joe’s as they practiced with their friends and set their sights on making it big. But Joe’s calling was to start a family, and he enlisted in the Air Force and went to Viet Nam, where the name Jimi Hendrix was already well-recognized. Mr. Gray’s burial at Greenwood Memorial will reunite the two childhood friends.

Visitation will begin at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, December 7th, at Greenwood Memorial Park, 350 Monroe Ave NE in Renton. Service and burial will follow at 1:30, with the Reverend Joyce M. Smith, Pastor, Community AME Zion Church, officiating. Friends and family are invited to socialize afterwards at Spinnaker Bay Condominiums, 9500 Rainier Avenue South in Seattle. Donations may be made in his honor to the Alzheimer’s Association, the Statewide Poverty Action Network, or to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements entrusted to the direction of Greenwood Funeral Home, Renton, WA.