Walter D. Gray Obituary

Peace be with you Brother

It's been almost ten years since that awful day and I still think of you sometimes, mostly on Memorial Day and August 8th. I met you at J-Bad (I was an ISRLO in the EASOS) and ran into once or twice after that. I could really tell that you were a kind and genuine person, not characteristics I attribute to people I just met.

I hope the ten last ten years have rested softly on your family and that you are resting well, having served our nation faithfully and proudly.

It was an honor and pleasure to serve with Maj. Gray. He trained on our range on Ft. Carson. Great leader and Airman. Always in my thoughts!

It was a privilege to run in memory of Maj. Gray.

Prayer Shawls 4 Fallen Soldiers ([email protected]) is an organization with groups throughout the country who work to send handmade prayer shawls and/or lap robes to families who have lost a loved one while serving our country. Members of Trindle Spring Lutheran Church would like to honor your loved one's sacrifice and memory by sending our prayers and comfort through a prayer gift which will be mailed to you. If you are interested, please contact me at [email protected] with the names and addresses of those who would like to receive one and which gift they would like to receive. We will send our gift as soon as possible. Also, if you know of any other families who are grieving the loss of a loved on who died while serving our country, please pass along my e-mail address. May God bless you and comfort you in the days ahead. Sincerely, Lynne

Heather and family - we are so saddened to hear of David's death. We thank you for his service to our country. May God give each of you healing and strength at this time.

My father had the privileged to serve with Major Gray at Laughlin AFB. I remember him as a bright, happy and outgoing man. America lost a hero. May he rest in peace.

Stacie Vargas
WRs daughter.

I know that the words are not enough to replace the loss that you have felt. Know that when Major Walter D. Gray was here he touched a lot of lives. He has made the ultimate sacrifice for his country that we all love so dearly. He was a good friend to all us (PORT DAWGS) and we will miss him greatly. God Bless and Our Prayers Go Out To Your Family.

So very sorry for your loss. I had the honor/privilege of teaching your son in preschool. We had many talks about what a wonderful Daddy you were; may he continue his father's legacy. I pray he will grow in strength, wisdom and the Word. I pray for Heather and the girls; God grant all of you strength.

"Greater love hath no man, than he that giveth his life for another." Jesus exemplified those words, now so has David.

Wish I'd had a chance to meet him (maybe I did by phone, on my job?) know I owe him, and as General Patton said "It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." We will carry on

We are so sorry for your loss. We were remembering this morning what a great guy David was. Our prayers are with your family. Love~ Justin, Katie, Alaina, Olivia, and Isla Schoendube

My heart goes out to your family for your sacrifice. We appreciate Maj. Gray's service to our country.

May God bless this family. His sacrifice and his service to this country will never be forgotten.

To the family of Maj. Walter D. Gray:
Walter gave the ultimate sacrifice and will be held in the hearts of Americans forever. I cannot and will not let our fallen heroes be forgotten. My deepest sympathy to you. "Some gave all."

We are so sorry for your loss. We thank David for his service to our country and for fighting for our safety and freedom.

Our thoughts and prayers will be with his loved ones from this day forward. From one military family to another, his name will live on and the sacrifice he made will never be forgotten!

May God be with you and your family. May we never forget the price you paid for our freedom.

May the Lord grant you eternal rest and may his perpetual light shine upon your soul. May he bless your family abundantly and comfort them. May your sacrifice never be forgotten.

Rest in peace my brother. You will be sorely missed by us and the nation you served.

Major Mark W. Breed

DG,
I am broken hearted and saddened by the way you were taken from us. It still does not seem real that you are gone. I enjoyed working with you at Laughlin; you were a great commander. May you have a special place in heaven.
Goodbye my friend, you will be missed by all whose lives you touched…
Julie Nicolas

A true American HERO! DAVID paid the ultimate price for all Americans, Freedom is not free..God bless his loving family. We will never forget.

Rest in the arms of Jesus, David! You ran a good race and fought a good fight. You were a faithful servant of the Lord. You are missed. Praise God that you were such a shining light for His Glory and your ultimate sacrifice & testimony lives on. In Christ Alone & By His Grace!

Rest in peace Walter.

I had the honor of working with DG during our time at McGuire AFB, NJ in the 816th Contingency Response Group. When I heard about the loss of DG, it was a big shock…even though we only worked together for just under a year, in my mind it seemed much longer because of who DG was and how he impacted me. His passion for life and his always positive attitude reverberated throughout the unit. Though I didn't get to know Heather or his children well, there was no mistaking his absolute devotion and love for them. At the same time, he always was full of unwavering focus on the mission and thrived on being an Airman. Finally, there was no mistaking his faith as a follower of Christ, not only by his words but by his actions in how he truly lived a life of servant leadership. I cannot begin to express my heartbreak and sadness for DG's family, especially Heather and his three children, my prayers continue for their comfort, knowledge that his life was filled with meaning, and that he is now in glory.

2 Timothy 4:7-8: “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

I know there are no words to say at this time, except how sorry that I am. My thoughts and prayers are with you always. Walter will never be forgotten.

For you every single soldier
Those who served so honorable
Your life was forever altered
While I'm home safe and free
I stand with grateful admiration
I stand respectful and so proud
I know I'm only a civilian
And I don't even know if it's allowed

But I salute you; allow me the honor
to salute you with permission let me say
Even though I hold no rank know that from my heart
My humble gratitude comes from the deepest part.
I salute you.

For those missing in action;
for those who didn't make it home.
I know you're in God's presence you are not alone.
For every neatly folded flag;
for every shattered family
I will do the only thing I know to dignify your memory.

I salute you, allow me the honor
to salute you with permission let me say
even though I hold no rank know that from my heart
my humble gratitude comes from the deepest part.

I salute you .

I Salute You.

Suzanne MacDaniel - A Proud Aunt
Colonie, NY
SGT. David M. Fisher
KIA 12/1/04 - Iraq

It was an honor working with you in the CRW, DG. Prayers to your family. Thank you for your service. You will not be forgotten.

Col Carmella Lawson
Former 621 CRW Devil Raider

My sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family of one of the most incredible leaders I have ever had the pleasure of working for and with.

I had the honor of working with DG at Laughlin AFB and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was destined for greatness. He was taken from us entirely too soon and will leave an emptiness in the hearts of all those that had the honor of knowing him.

It's not often that someone is able to touch the hearts and change the lives of everyone they come into contact with, but it is evident by all of the posts here that Dave did just that.

DG, you will forever be in our hearts, forever be missed and always be remembered as one of the great ones!! Thank you for your service and your sacrifice.

As a proud member of the Patriot Guard Riders, I stand ready to proudly escort you sir!!

Rest in peace Dave!

Sir,
It was an honor serving with you. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your leadership, your words of wisdom,your great spirit, your kindness and your patriotism. Most of all, thank you for your sacrifice. I will never forget you and will pray that your family finds peace & comfort. God Bless you.

This was a sad day. America lost a true Hero. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. He was a great friend to my husband. My husband has started a fund for his wife and three children. Please share the link! Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance!!!

http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=7611&url=majorgraysfamily

David, thank you for your sacrifice and service to our country. I remember the GMC days fondly. The Gray family will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

DG,
You were one of the good ones...honest, straight-forward and upbeat. May Heather and the kids find some semblance of solace in all the lives you have positively touched.

Col Mark Ellis

Although we only knew each other for a brief moment.... David's tremendous gift of heroism will live within me forever. He touched so many lives and will be greatly missed but never forgotten. He made the ultimate sacrifice for not only his family, but for all of us that are here today. I wish nothing but comfort and peace for the Gray family... my thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this time...

Thinking of you all at this sad time. He will be missed by so many people in so many places.

Major Gray was a true leader. I had many encouraging talks with him. We often shared our stories growing up in different parts of Georgia. I looked up to him & will always be grateful to have known him and be under his leadership.

My thoughts & prayers go to his beautiful family. May God's angels embrace them in their time of need.

I'm forever in your debt. Thank you for your sacrifice to this country. I will always remember your kindling spirit. You are a hero in every since of the word. RIP Major Gray.

"The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance." (Ps 16:6)

Maj Gray-
It was an honor being your subordinate at Laughlin AFB. You will be sorely missed. Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice. God bless you and your family.

It was an honor to have served with Maj Gray and he will be greatly missed. May God bless you and give you the strength to carry on. R.I.P.

DG, then a 2nd Lieutenant, worked for me in the 47th Operations Support Squadron at Laughlin AFB, Tx. As the Operations Officer of that squadron and in charge of its daily operations at the Air Force's largest pilot training base, I depended on Walter's leadership, focus, and commitment to excellence. Heather, he never let me or his teammates down in any task, in any way...it was not in DG's officer DNA.

Walter became a key young officer leader whom I could depend on to get our important air traffic control work done while simultaneously serving as a credible, inspiring "always on" officer leader to the numerous young airman in that squadron. DG was always a calm, even handed, quiet professional who was steadfastly guided by what was the right, not necessarily the easiest or expedient, thing to do.

In discussing his hopes and dreams of service in our Air Force, he and I spoke frequently and at great length about what he wanted from his military career and where to serve in our AF. For a Lieutenant Colonel, my rank at that time, talking to a highly motivated officer, those conversations were wide ranging and deep. DG was not a superficial man.

Heather, you watched Walter, with the utmost seriousness, make decisions as to where his journey would ultimately take him in our Air Force. As I think back on Walter, I recall thinking that he possessed a wisdom uncommon for younger people of his age. Additionally, his abiding integrity and authentic care for those around him told me that Walter was destined for great things. However, for all his focus on the mission, he loved you and the children with all of his heart and being.

Walter served in our nation's military--not an easy walk of life on any day of the week nor under any circumstance. DG could have done anything in this life, but he chose this life of service. He found his home in the Tactical Air Control Party career field. I will never know if my conversations with him in which I shared my experiences as an Air Liaison Officer served in a distant way as the catalyst for his decision to become an ALO. Regardless, this much I can say with certitude: DG was exactly what the outgoing Air Force Chief of Staff, General Norton Schwartz, had in mind when he decided to expand the Air Liaison Officer career field to include officers who did not have tactical flying experience.

DG, you are gone but your are not forgotten and you will be sorely missed. The world is a little dimmer place with your absence. Heather, God bless you and those lovely children. They and you have so much to be proud of.

Most Respectfully and In Condolence,

Colonel Vincent Alcazar
United States Air Force
Manassas, VA

Sir,

You were the epitome of a true leader...taking care of the Military mission by taking care of its people first. I will never forget your kindness when I lost a loved one myself. You always took the time to recognize people and you stood up for the controllers who worked for you. You were one of the best Officers I ever had the priviledge of working for. I will never forget you. Your riches in Heaven will be great and may the Angels watch over your family and bring them peace and comfort. Rest in Peace Sir...you will be tremendously missed.

Formerly Assigned 47OSS, RAPCON, Laughlin AFB, TX

DG,
You will be sorely missed by those you served with and mentored. You were a true leader and a valued comrade that I had the pleasure of serving with at McGuire. Most of all you were faithful to God and your family. May God bless your spirit into his arms and may He watch over your family.
Scott Jaggers, Longmont, Colorado

Words can not begin to express the deep feeling of admiration for what Major Gray stood for. To Heather, the children, Denise and her family, Sina, David's dad and brother, our sincere sympathy and thanks. Our prayers are with you as you go thru the next weeks and the rest of your lives.

Major Gray. You are a true American hero. I am dam proud to have known you. Your Old First Sergeant at the 165 ASOS. Retired Chief Charles Mazariegos

To the family of Major Gray, my deepest heartfelt condolences. Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice for our country! Words will never be enough, however I am extremely sorry for your lost.

It is rare to cross paths with a truly wonderful human being. DG was one. He will be missed dearly.

Thank you Major Walter David Gray for your selfless service to your country. May God surround and protect your wife and children always.

Our hearts are saddened by your loss and our thoughts and prayers are with you. We have placed a brick in honor of Major Gray's dedicated service at Alpharetta Memorial Park Post 201 in the "Walk of Memories".

Maj.David Gray was loved by everyone. He touched the heart of everyone he met and left a lasting impression on their life. Heather, Nyah, Garret and Ava our hearts are broken over the lose of our loved one, but as you told Aunt Johnnye ,we know he was on a loan from our Heavenly Father .I thank God I was one that got to meet David. Our prayers and thoughts are with you and the children and David's family. God Bless all of you Love your cousin Charlie and Laura Campbell.

Please accept my deepest sympathy for the loss of your loved one and hero Walter, and my sincerest gratitude for
his service for our country.
God Bless you Maj. Walter D. Gray...you will not be forgotten.

Today the world has lost one of its great warriors. A true friend and mentor. It has truly sadened me to learn of your departure from this world, but I know that you are now watching from above over the other warriors that step forward in your place. I know that as you go forth, Maj Gray,you will be smiling and watching over us as a guardian angel, and keeping us in your sights. It was truly a blessing to have stood beside you in this world and to have known you during our tour together at McGuire AFB. Working out with you and joking around during other times. You always could bring a smile to anyone that you encountered, even in the worst of times. My prayers and thoughts go out to your family. God Speed my friend.

DG,
Your loyalty to God, family, and country was an example unto us all. May God bless and keep Heather and your children. Rest easy my friend, rest easy.

May God bless and sustain you at this time of loss and may His servant David and those who perished with him rest in peace and rise in glory!

Fr. Drew Collins (GMC '91)

"Greater love has no man than this, to lay down his life for another." Thank you for your love of God, country and family. My heartfelt thanks to your family and all of the others who give so much that my family can enjoy our freedoms. Heather, you and the children are being lifted in prayer around the world. Thank you for your sacrifice.

Godspeed on your final journey David. Your service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. May God comfort and watch over your family as only he can.
David E. Jones, Col (Ret), USAF

Sir,
It was a great honor to have served with you. You were a great leader, friend, and warrior. You will be forever missed and my thoughts and prayers are with your family.

Sir, it was a honor to have served with you. You were the coolest officer and most down to earth. Made me as a young airman feel more comfortable with a new atmosphere. May god watch over and keep your family strong during these hard times. My thoughts and prayers are with your family, wife, and children. You will be forever missed by anyone that has ever met you. God bless.

Sir, I'm honored to have known such a great officer and person. You made everyone around you better. Lady liberty has a heavy heart today. Prayers to your many friends, co-workers and most importantly your family. RIP DG.

Thank You for your sacrifice and for your duty to America. Your life will never be forgotten. May God give your family peace and strength and bless your wife and children greatly. Words cannot express loss like this.

Sir, thank you for your guidance and great leadership when we worked together, it made me a better person. You will be so missed by everybody who had the honor to know and serve with you. You and your beautiful family will forever be in my thoughts. RIP DG.

The Final Salute

“Brothers in Arms”, Military men and women down through the centuries, have traditionally exchanged “Hand Salutes” as a sign of recognition and as a way to render courtesy and respect one to another.

This “Hand Salute” is the last that we shall render to MAJ. Walter David Grayl our Brother in Arms. To his family it symbolizes the love and respect that we have for David. And to David it is rendered as a symbol of honor and gratitude to thank him for the ultimate sacrifice he made while operating against enemy forces in Afghanistan. No greater love is shown than a man lay down his life for another. David, you gave the last full measure of devotion for what you believed in and fought for. You are a brave Air Force Warrior, a true Patriot and a national Hero. With your passing, our Country has lost a National Treasure. We bid you a sad farewell. You will be dearly missed from among our ranks. Be at ease. Rest in Peace.

On behalf of the 1,341 members of Lowe-McFarlane Post 14 of the American Legion in Shreveport, Louisiana, I extend our sympathies and our condolences to David's family and loved ones.

Dennis N. Engdahl, Commander, American Legion Post 14
5315 S. Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport, LA 71109

The Final Salute

“Brothers in Arms”, Military men and women down through the centuries, have traditionally exchanged “Hand Salutes” as a sign of recognition and as a way to render courtesy and respect one to another.

This “Hand Salute” is the last that we shall render to our Brother-in-Arms, MAJ Walter D. Gray, U.S. Army. To his family it symbolizes the love and respect that we have for Walter. And to Walter it is rendered as a symbol of honor and gratitude to thank him for the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country while opposing enemy forces in Afghanistan. Walter you gave the last full measure of devotion for what you believed in and fought for. No greater love and patriotism are shown than when a man lays down his life in service to his country. Walter, you are a brave American Warrior, a true Patriot and a national Hero. With your passing, our Country has lost a National Treasure. We bid you a sad farewell. You will be dearly missed from among our ranks. Be at ease. Rest in Peace.

On behalf of the 1,261 members of Lowe-McFarlane Post 14 of the American Legion in Shreveport, Louisiana, I extend our sympathies and our condolences to Walter's family and loved ones.

Stephen J. Lavery, Commander, American Legion Post 14
5315 S. Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport, LA 71109

Uncle David, Aunt Johnnye
Aunt Essie, Aunt Etrulia,
Ray and Joann ,Aunt Ione
Uncle Gordon and Aunt Johnnie

David Our hearts are broken, you were such a wonderful, loving ,great nephew , who was dearly loved. Our prayers, love and support for Heather, Nyah, Garrett and Ava and to your family. I know that you are in Heaven, with a guardian angel watching over you.We will cherish all the memories and joyful family times together. You will always live in our hearts.
Love , Uncle David and Aunt Johnnye
Belton, South Carolina

Maj Gray,

It was an honor serving with you. You always managed to keep everyone's spirits up regardless of what was going on. Our thoughts and prayers go out to your family. You will be missed. Rest in peace.

Major Gray you touched so many lives in a positive way during your short time with us. I'm a better man because of you. Everything you did you made better. I'm so greatful for the time I had to work with you. RIP Sir! I will always keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers!

Sir,
Is was a pleasure serving under you. You are what AF officers should be, may you rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers go out to your family and loved ones.

|If we could only bring you back...

I too am proud to have served with such a great man and leader. The world is a better place because of him. Rest in peace DG, you will not be forgotten.

A quintessential leader, motivator, and family man. Absolutely one of the best officers to work for and alongside. Always a good PT partner and brought a sense of humor that was needed during the most trying of times; you were also the only guy I knew to pull off thigh-high shorts and ranger panties. Always managed to turned my cynicism into positive action for the greater good. My heart goes out to your family and I share a loss alongside all others. Godspeed friend and may you stand tall within the halls of valhalla

"Major Gray Thank You for allowing me to have the honor and privilege serving with you in our Air Traffic Control family at Altus AFB, OK. You impacted my life in such a positive way. You are missed!" Repectfully, HL

I am very proud and honored to have known you groin up. Now it is time to rest, your watch is done. God will take over for you. Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

Maj Gray

You are one of the greatest leaders I've ever worked with. It was an honor to serve with you in the 816th CRG. You always gave me great advice, even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear. When the group was getting tired of our training exercises you always found a way to make us laugh and get through it together. Our prayers go out to you and your family. We will never forget. RIP

Although i don't know Maj. Walter D. Gray, my thoughts and prayers go out to your family. Thank you for your service to Our Country and keeping us safe. God speed!!

Major Gray, I feel privileged to have had the honor of serving with you at Altus AFB. My condolences and prayers to your family. May you rest in peace!

Words cannot express my deep sorrow. It was such an honor to have served alongside him. We will miss you DG!

Thank you for the sacrifice you and your family have given us. My prayers are with your family. R.I.P.

DG,
You are a true hero. It was an honor to know you and you will be missed. You may be gone but never forgotten. You were a blessing to this world and made everyone around you a better person. I pray for your family.

One of the best supervisors I ever had. It was an absolute pleasure and honor to have worked with for you. I learned so much from you and your constant positive attitude will never be forgotten. Thank you for having an impact on my life. My thoughts and prayers are with your family. You will be dearly missed.

I thank God for David's time on this earth & for the blessing of knowing him. He was a true warrior for Christ & for his country & all who know him are better for it. Prayers are going up to God from around the world for Heather, the children, your families, and your unit. Wish we were there to hug you & help during your time of grief... but for now, we pray. Love & hugs!

DG,

I was honored to serve along side of you while you were in Altus. My heart goes out to Heather. I know your TACP brothers feel the same as your Air Traffic Control brothers do. Go Rest High on that mountain, Sir; you done more then your share. Our country lost a great warrior, friend, father and leader!

Todd Hilton "TD"
Indianapolis Air Traffic Control Tower

Though we never met, you were in service to us. Though we'll never meet, your service is appreciated, and your sacrifice will not be forgotten. We pray for peace and comfort for your family as they too have paid such a heavy price.

SMSgt. P. Buckroth & Mari B. Buckroth

DG was a great father, co worker and friend. I wish peace for you in the afterlife, and healing for your wife and children.

The Entire TACP Community mourns the loss of one of our own. Our prayers are with Heather and the kids.
Charlie Heidal, MSgt (RET)
USAF TACP
Webmaster, ROMAD.COM

Our hearts are so heavy. We are praying God's comfort and peace.

Thank you for your service from another military family. This nation should never forget those that have given the ultimate sacrifice. God Bless your family.

Maj Gray,

Thank you for your sacrifice to this great nation. It was my honor to be at Dover AFB by the C-17 that brought you home. It was a very humbling experience and one that I will never forget. The one regret that I have though is that I did not get to tell your family how much you touched the lives of all the Airmen that you led. You are a true leader and warrior. God Bless you and your family and RIP. You and your family will not be forgotten!

To the family, friends and military unit of Major Walter Gray, I offer my deepest sympathy. We should forever be grateful for his military service.

Our family knows the pain and heartache your family is going through. We are so sorry for your loss. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers.

The Kirton Family
Army CPL Brandon Kirton
KIA 5/18/11 - Afghanistan

God Bless Major Walter D. Gray. Thank you for your many years of service to keep us all safe. God Bless your family and friends and know their heartache is shared by others. Rest in Peace Brother.