Frederick Earl Gray
1933 - 2024
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Frederick
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Jim and Goldine Pankratz donated to HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WATERLOO REGION INC
Thursday, February 1, 2024
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Marcus Kramer and Catherine Robertson pledged to donate to HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WATERLOO REGION INC
Friday, January 26, 2024
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Anne Ehrlich and Nick Greenacre donated to HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WATERLOO REGION INC
Friday, January 26, 2024
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Marianne Mellinger and Ken Hull pledged to donate to HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WATERLOO REGION INC
Friday, January 26, 2024
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Fred and Sherry Dickieson donated to HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WATERLOO REGION INC
Friday, January 26, 2024
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Moyra Harron donated to HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WATERLOO REGION INC
Friday, January 26, 2024
Hi Susan,
My deepest condolences on the passing of your father. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.
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Phyllis Kramer pledged to donate to HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WATERLOO REGION INC
Thursday, January 25, 2024
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Doris Kramer pledged to donate to HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WATERLOO REGION INC
Thursday, January 25, 2024
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co-elevate (formally Fred E. Gray and Associates) donated to HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WATERLOO REGION INC
Thursday, January 25, 2024
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Cheryl Wilson posted a condolence
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Susan - my deepest condolences on your families loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
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Bill Fick posted a condolence
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Farewell to Fred: An unassuming engineer with a profound legacy. His dedication to excellence, practical wisdom, and high standards shaped our firm's culture. As we mourn his passing, we pledge to carry forward his torch, upholding his values and commitment to superior craftsmanship. Fred's impact on our industry and lives is a cherished memory that will endure for generations to come. Rest in peace, dear friend, mentor, and inspiration.
co-elevate has also added a tribute post for Fred to our web page. His influence is still felt after all these years and his legacy will live with us.
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David Gray uploaded photo(s)
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
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Fred the Philanthropist
Dad, and Mom, are philanthropists, though perhaps not what we traditionally think of as philanthropists. Though they certainly donated and supported the causes they believed in financially, even more so they gave their time. Having been a director and treasurer in our former church, I understand how critically important it is that volunteers give of their time. That is what Dad did. Without people like Dad, these volunteer organizations cannot function. I remember him mostly as a Sunday School teacher, whose son left the church at the age of 14 while he was my Sunday School teacher. Mom and Dad never gave me a hard time about it but waited patiently until I found my own way back. I remember hearing how they were supporting couples in the church who had financial issues. Anyone who’s done that knows how hard that can be, one little step forward, one big step back, but they carried on. They also supported kids through Christian Children’s Fund, something our family carries on today. I don’t know what other contributions they made, but I know they were very involved.
After retirement, Dad drove seniors to their appointments as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels in London. He seemed to really enjoy this, as he spoke about it sometimes, which he didn’t often do. Dad loved to drive, and many of our memories with him involved driving, often to Hawk Junction where Mom’s mom lived. About 20 years ago, Mom and Dad sold their house and moved downtown, which allowed them to walk to their church, Metropolitan United. They loved being so close and therefore being able to take part in so much more of the life of the church. Dad also took over the recording ministry, where he continued to show that he could move with the times by converting that ministry from mailing the cassette tapes that they were using when they got there to emailing mp4 files and links. He carried on doing that well into his eighties, and when he finally did leave, he trained the next generation in these newfangled techniques. When it was time to stop driving, Dad gave his car to his granddaughter Jordie.
A few years ago, Dad and Mom left London and moved to Beechwood Manor in Waterloo, where it was easier for our family to help them out because Laura and Susan and their spouses, Daniel and David lived there. Dad spent the last couple of years of his life at Sunnyside Home in Kitchener. Somehow, even though he had trouble speaking, he still had an impact on the staff and residents there. We saw this every time we visited and in the tears and comments of residents and staff as Dad was wheeled away from Sunnyside for the last time.
Dad and Mom did not trumpet their good works but they did a lot of them. They are philanthropists and the world is a little worse off without Dad in it.
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Ashish Pandey lit a candle
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
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Susan - I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. Wishing you peace during this difficult time
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Mark Perry posted a condolence
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Susan, I am very sorry to hear about the passing of your father. May God bring you and your family comfort to get through the difficult days ahead and into the "back to normal" time that follows which is never really "back to normal". Your father sounds like a wonderful human being and I enjoyed reading the wonderful testimonies posted here.
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George Gimenes posted a condolence
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Dear Susan,
I am so sorry about your loss! My heartfelt sentiments to you and your family.
May God comfort your hearts and bring peace to you all, even at this difficult time.
(... and what an inspiration reading your brother's stories and testimony here...)
God Bless!
George
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David Gray uploaded photo(s)
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
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Fred the Engineer
Fred Gray was meant to be an engineer. Engineering tallies with his personality. Things like attention to detail, building things beyond base specifications, a focus on the bottom line. These are all things that defined Fred. At the same time, he also stretched beyond basics. In the mid-sixties he brought six-inch floors to the GTA, Montreal, Ottawa, and later London and environs. This means that half the materials are required compared to traditional twelve-inch floors. That means half the environmental impact, and when you’re talking about steel and concrete, that’s a significant savings in GHG emissions as well, over the course of his career.
Fred entered Engineering at the University of Toronto in 1951, graduating in 1956, after taking a year off in 1953 to help construct the inter-provincial pipeline. After graduating, he worked for the Foundation Company of Canada (now part of Aecon) and was contracted out to Algoma Steel, designed the bridge on the Trans-Canada highway at Britt, ON, and then moved on to Stelco. In 1963, he joined John J. Ryan and Associates in Hamilton where he instituted those six-inch floors, eventually becoming Director, and then VP. In 1973, he started Fred Gray and Associates, later Gray and Fick, and now Co-Elevate, a company that celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023. In 1974, his company was contracted as project manager for Talbot Square in London, and he moved his family there. In 1976, Fred left Talbot Square to newly establish his engineering consultancy in London. Fred specialized in nursing homes, churches, and buildings of 20 stories or less. In London, he engineered one of the first conversions in Canada of old industrial premises to low-cost apartments.
Fred “retired” in 1997 during one of the many downturns in the construction industry in Ontario. However, things picked up at Gray and Fick and he worked there two-three days a week for a couple of years until he declared, “I’m too busy to work”, and finally retired to his work at their church, ballroom dancing, and living the life with his wife, Pat.
Fred’s values, commitment to excellence, contributing to the betterment of his community, humility and others are still practiced at the company he founded, Co-Elevate. You can find these principles on their website https://www.co-elevate.ca/about. Fred left a great legacy in the buildings he designed, the company he built, but most of all in those he influenced over the course of his life.
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Sunlife Financial - Canada ( PnE Engineering) donated to CHILDREN BELIEVE FUND
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Susan - We are so sorry for your loss. Please accept our heartfelt condolences. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Wishes :- Sunlife - PnE Engineering Team
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Shelby von Wahl posted a condolence
Monday, January 22, 2024
My many condolences to you all, sending hugs and warm wishes as you navigate this immensely difficult step as a family.
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David Gray uploaded photo(s)
Sunday, January 21, 2024
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Fred the Dad
Fred Gray is my Dad. He was an excellent Dad. Even though work was busy for him, he always made time for his family.
I remember him teaching me games, chess, bridge, Monopoly, learning Risk together. When he could, he would join me and my friends to play games when we were teens. He patiently played games with me even when I won consistently, but he never let me win. I always had to play well to beat him. He also bought gifts for me of slot car sets, hot wheels sets, and train sets. I still have a lot of these and have played them with our daughters.
When we lived in Burlington, and briefly in London, we sailed. We sailed as a family and sometimes it was just me and him. I remember sailing with him from our dock in Bronte to our Aunt and Uncle’s place out in Port Hope. I also remember getting up some really good speed when it was just me and him in our catamaran on the reservoirs around London. We also went to the races as a family. When I was really young, we went to Mosport. I remember sleeping in our Rambler at Mosport. I had to be only 4 or 5. The seats would fold down to make a bed. I remember being at Mosport at later dates and cheering on cars that were similar to our Volvo and Cutlass. Later we went to the stock car races at Cayuga, Flamboro, and Delaware, which were closer to home. Now I race cars myself.
Dad and Mom always encouraged me and my sisters to go to University. In Burlington, I remember them talking to us about how we could ride with Dad to Hamilton and he would drop us off at McMaster on his way to work. I couldn’t have been more than 12 at the time.
Mom tells me that Dad used to do “flash cards” with me when I was young. These were simple math but gave me a head start on school. Once I was in school, I did these with my sisters, and taught them what I learned. I always was good at math and ended up getting a Master of Mathematics at Waterloo.
These are just a few of the memories that I have of “Fred the Dad”, as I used to call him. He was a good Dad. Thanks, Dad.
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Nadine and Marlin Gingrich posted a condolence
Sunday, January 21, 2024
Dear Laura, Dan and family:
We are saddened to hear of the loss of your father and granfather. His life well lived will always be an example for you. You have been fortunate to have had him in your lives for these many years.
With love,
Nadine and Marly
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Doug and Jessie Beattie posted a condolence
Sunday, January 21, 2024
Fondly remembering your family as we worshiped together at First Westminster. Thinking of you at this time.
Doug and Jessie Beattie
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Sue Stortz posted a symbolic gesture
Sunday, January 21, 2024
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Your dad was a special man Susan. The last chapter has been written, the book finished. He will be missed.
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K & P Johnston posted a condolence
Saturday, January 20, 2024
Pat and family - we would like to send our sympathy and prayers to all of you as you grieve the loss of a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. We feel fortunate to have met you as neighbours on Parliament and as church friends at First Westminster. Thinking of you with sincere sympathy, Keith & Phyllis Johnston and Leslee, Marnie and Jill.
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The family of Frederick Earl Gray uploaded a photo
Friday, January 19, 2024
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Friday
26
January
Visitation
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Friday, January 26, 2024
Erb & Good Family Funeral Home
171 King Street South
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Friday
26
January
Funeral Service
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Friday, January 26, 2024
Erb & Good Family Funeral Home Chapel
171 King Street South
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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