William Gray

1973 - 2017

William "Bill" Allen Gray, 44, of Rigby, passed away Monday, Sept. 25, 2017, at University of Utah Hospital.

Bill was born July 29, 1973, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, a son to Wayne Arthur and Connie Butikofer Gray. He was raised in Coltman, Idaho, and went to school at Bonneville High School, where he graduated in 1992. He served as an LDS missionary in the Nokiama Japan Mission.

On July 25, 2008, Bill married April Jean Ossmen in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple.

Bill started his trucking career with Swift Trucking. After that, he worked for Eagle Ridge out of Firth. He then attended BYU - Idaho, where he received his bachelor's in biology. While at BYU - Idaho, he was working with the FDA and assisted them with looking for anything that would cause a disease or infection on potato crops. He also worked for Doug Andrus, Steve Grover and James Bean on the farm in Monteview. Later, he worked for Queen Bee Air Specialties in Rigby and its sister company Cindy Lew Holdings in Utah, as well as a reserve officer with the Rigby Police.

He was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, where he loved working with the primary and nursery kids. He loved kids, and they loved to be around him. Bill enjoyed welding, wood working, hunting and fishing. He especially loved harvest time and being on the tractor helping his family. He was a jack of all trades and a snowplow bandit. He loved to sneakily clean snow off of other people's driveways, and anyone who needed the help, he was there with his plow. Any chance he had, he would be with his family camping, especially the Butikofer family campouts.

Bill is survived by his wife, April; parents, Wayne and Connie Gray, of Shelley, Idaho; in-laws, Lynn and Ila Ossmen, of Menan, Idaho; sisters, Angela (Daniel) Martin, of Shelley, Idaho, and Sarah Gray, of Idaho Falls, Idaho; brothers, Matthew Gray, of Shelley, Idaho, Wayne Gray, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Michael Gray, of Milton, Florida.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Oct. 7, at 11 a.m. at Sundance LDS Ward, 602 Sundance Drive in Rigby, Idaho. The family will visit with family and friends Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and prior to Saturday's services from 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., both times at the stake center. Interment will be at Rigby Pioneer Cemetery following the services. A community and law enforcement memorial will be held Friday at 10 a.m. in Rigby High School auditorium. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com.

We share our appreciation to the staff of the U of U Burn Unit, the many officers and first responders and the well-wishers who helped in seeing Bill home. Thank you!