December 3, 1942 ~ April 2, 2024
Alma Marie Gray was born December 3, 1942, to John W. and Florence M. Fullenwider. She passed quietly at the Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center, Salida, Colorado on April 2, 2024.
As a young girl being raised on the family ranch north of Villa Grove, she developed an appreciation for the ranch life and the outdoors. She enjoyed riding horses and adventuring all over the area with her sisters Donna and Tootsie, along with the Dominick kids from the neighboring ranch. Her favorite childhood memories always included riding horses and fishing in the mountains, usually with family.
While in high school she met the love of her life Gerald D. Gray. They were married May 21, 1957, in Salida. They had a double wedding with her sister Donna and Gerald’s best friend Joe Alexander. After the wedding the couples returned to Saguache so the boys could graduate from high school that evening. They celebrated their 60th anniversary by renewing their vows at the Villa Grove Fellowship. This May they would have celebrated their 67th anniversary.
To the happy couple were born two girls Gail and Susan. The young couple moved to Colorado Springs. While Gerald was in the Air Force, Alma kept busy raising children and attending Beauty College. After a stint moving around while Gerald worked for the State Highway department, they moved home to the ranch to raise their girls and partner in the ranch with Alma’s parents.
Alma was a very driven and passionate person about life and especially the ranch. She held several outside jobs such as a beautician, waitress and postal clerk, all while working as a full-time ranch hand. She did everything on the ranch alongside Gerald from irrigation, haying, dragging, cattle work, fencing and her favorite calving. She managed all that as well as cooking and attending to her family and parents.
Alma had many hobbies, all of which included being with family and friends. These hobbies included things such as jeeping, camping, traveling, moving cattle to the mountains and traveling, but her favorite was dancing with the love of her life.
Alma was a devout Christian and a founding member of the church in Villa Grove. She wanted to make sure there was a peaceful and accepting place for her and her fellow believers to commune and worship. She attended her last service on Easter Sunday two days before she passed.
Alma is preceded in death by her parents, Sister Donna and (Brother)-in-law Joe Alexander and an infant brother.
She leaves behind her loving husband Gerald Gray, Daughters Gail (Wes) Moores, and Susan Gray. Grandchildren Cody (Sarah) Carothers, Rory (Cassandra) Moores, Aurora Kimmett and Ramona (Seth) Levulis. Great Grandchildren Dustin, Emma and Brady Carothers, Rhett and soon to be born baby brother Moores, and Theodore (Teddy) Levulis. Sister Tootsie (Ed) Powszukiewicz as well as many nieces, nephews and adopted family and friends.
She would want family and friends to know how much she loved each and every one of you and to leave you some advice. Pay attention to the details, live simply, love generously, care deeply and leave the rest to GOD, and don’t forget dessert.
Services will be April 9, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at the Villa Grove Fellowship, 34040 Highway 285, Villa Grove, Colorado 81155
In lieu of flowers Alma wanted donations to be made to the Northern Saguache County Ambulance District, P.O. Box 118, Saguache, CO. 81149.
