Obituary: William “Bill” Leslie Gray

William “Bill” Leslie Gray, 82, of Rochester, Washington, passed away on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at home.

On July 14, 1941, Bill was born to the union of Omer Ulysses Gray and Ethel Mae (Lawrence) Gray in Viroqua, Wisconsin.

After graduating from high school, Bill enlisted in the United States Army. He served our country from 1962 until 1965 when he was honorably discharged.

Bill met and married Mabel Ann Dooley on June 17, 1967. Following Mabel’s passing, Bill married Barb Roy Deese on February 12, 2016.

Bill enjoyed being a mechanic for most of his adult life. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, bowling and riding his motorcycle. He was a member of the Sauk County Gold Wing Association and rode his motorcycle all over the United States with his wife, Mabel. He also was a member of the Reedsburg Jaycees and the Butterfest Committee.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Omer and Ethel Gray; wife, Mabel Gray; brother, Jerry Lee Gray; brother-in-law, Joe Dooley; nephew, Chad Dooley.

Bill is survived by his wife Barb Gray of Rochester, WA; his daughters, Theresa (Roy) Shurtleff of Leasburg, MO, Shari (Duane) Dorn of Middleton, and Kathy (Ken) Gleash of Reedsburg; his seven grandchildren; his fourteen great-grandchildren; his brothers, Earl Gray of Spooner, Joe (Linda) Gray of Reedsburg, Dan (Valerie) Gray of Reedsburg, his sister Mae (Donald) Spangler, Jr. of Clinton, TN; brother-in-law, John (Sigrid) Dooley of LaCrosse; sister-in-law, Fran Dooley of Holman; other relatives and many friends.

In keeping with Bill’s wishes, he was cremated and his remains will be interred at the Calvary Cemetery in Reedsburg on July 20, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. with military rites. Following the ceremony, the family will be hosting a celebration of life at at Nishan Park in Reedsburg. There will also be a memory ride for Bill in the afternoon around 2:00 p.m.