Wilton Spencer "Bill" Gray II passed away on December 9, 2013, in Tallahassee, Florida.
Bill was born in San Francisco, California on Father's Day in 1945, to the late Wilton Spencer Gray, Sr. and A. Doris Gray Bartels, and grew up in Warwick, Rhode Island. Bill learned to race sailboats on Narragansett Bay, where his lifelong love of sailing was kindled. He graduated from Pilgrim High School's first graduating class in 1963 and in October 2013 returned to Warwick to attend his 50th high school reunion.
Bill was accepted to Brown University, where he majored in economics. While at Brown, he took a year off to live in Paris, and then spent two years in the United States Army, based in Germany. Following his military service he returned to Brown and after graduation worked for the VA in San Francisco, California. He eventually retired to Thailand where he lived for ten years on his first boat, Whistler. After years of sailing and traveling through Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean and South Africa, Billy landed in St. Maarten, in the Caribbean aboard his 53’ Pearson the “Sumbish” where he worked for Island Water World Marine Chandlers, and made great friends with all the other yachters living in the Lagoon.
Bill will be fondly remembered by friends all over the globe, but most especially by his significant other, Teresa Sopp, Esq. of Fernandina and Tallahassee, Florida and by his family; sisters: Susan Salisbury (Lee) of North Kingstown, Deborah Kelso of Wakefield and Dottie Santagata of Warwick; his brothers Steven Gray (Maureen) of Warwick and Robert Gray of Largo, Florida along with many talented nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his sister, Judith Gray Emrick.
Bill’s ashes will be scattered at sea. Memorial donations may be made to Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mayhan Blvd., Tallahassee, Florida 32308, or to the Veterans' organization of your choice in Bill's name.
