1939 – 2016

AUGUSTA — Lester H. Gray Jr., 77, formerly of Bowdoin, was guided to heaven to fish the crystal waters on Saturday, Sept. 3.

He was born June 30, 1939, in Arrowsic, the second of 10 children to the late Lester H. Sr. and Josephine (Newbert) Gray. He graduated from Bowdoinham Elementary and attended Richmond High School.

In 1957 he served in the U.S. Army as a military police officer. He received marksman medals for pistols and rifles. In 1958 he met Leatrice Pottle and was soon married. They were blessed with three children. Then, in 1974, he married Nancy (Reed) Gray and they were blessed with 27 years of marriage.

During the years, Lester worked as a woodsman, concrete floor and foundation worker for 25 years and then a foreman for steel work and welding until his retirement in January 1995.

Lester was an avid fisherman, always known to be at Lake Auburn on April 1, and was photographed by the newspaper numerous times with the “catch of the day.” He also loved to hunt and ice-fish. He often talked about becoming a game warden, but never pursued it. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles 618 in Lewiston.

Lester is survived by his son, Peter J. Gray Sr. and his wife, Tina, of Windsor, where he also resided for the last several years; daughters, Belinda (Gray) Stevens and her husband, Robert, of Augusta and Rhonda Bowker and her husband, Richard, of Winthrop. He is also survived by his brothers, Stanley Gray of Florida, Charles Gray and his wife, Sharron, of Connecticut and Richard Gray of Bowdoinham; sisters, Edith (Gray) Elwell of Brunswick, Patricia Cobb of Bowdoinham, Velma (Gray) Brown of Brunswick, Hazel Griffin, and Juanita (Gray) West and her husband, Gordon, of Pennsylvania.

Lester also leaves behind grandchildren, Peter J. Gray Jr. and his companion, Brenda Fisher, of Thomaston, Tanya Fanning and her companion, Chris McGuire, of Augusta and Nichole (Mullens) Hayward and her husband, Josh, also of Augusta; five great-grandchildren, Brandon DeBrosky and Brady Gray of Thomaston, Alyssa and Austin Fanning of Windsor, and Abigail Hayward of Augusta; and several nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles.

He was predeceased by a daughter, Brenda Lee Gray; his first wife, Leatrice Pottle, in 2000; his second wife, Nancy, in 2002; a brother, Francis Gray in 1994; a sister-in-law, Wanda; and a brother-in-law, Albert.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.crosmanfuneralhome.com.

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