David Eugene Gray

David Eugene Gray gained his crown of eternal life on October 26, 2025. He was born to Virgil and Pauline Gray in Lansing, MI on September 8, 1939. He and his brother Kenny attended grade school in Lansing, in National City, CA on the naval base, and then a one room country school when the family moved back to the family farm in MI after Virgil's discharge from the Navy. The family moved into town when his youngest brother, Bobby, was born. David enrolled at Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 70 miles from home in Saginaw, MI for high school. There he met some lifelong friends, starred on the football and track teams, and started on his path to the ministry. He graduated from high school in 1957, and in 1958 his family moved to Southern California. David enrolled at Northwestern College in Watertown, WI to study for the ministry. He continued to excel in football and enjoyed college life. He spent his summers working with his dad in California. While at Northwestern he met a lively Northwestern Prep townie, Margaret Olson, who typed his papers and won his heart. He graduated from Northwestern in 1961 and moved on to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI.
David and Margaret were married in 1963, and after a honeymoon fishing trip with another couple they embarked on his vicar year, serving as vacancy pastor to two small rural congregations in Butterfield and Darfur, MN. He graduated from the seminary in 1965 and received a call to serve at Good Hope Evangelical Lutheran in Omaha, NE. David was installed in July 1965 by Pastor Gerald Free and began his ministry while Margaret worked as a nurse in Omaha. In December 1966 she and David welcomed their firstborn, Pauline, along with seven puppies from their dog, Pepper, on the same night!
David accepted a call to serve at Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church in August 1969. Although he received numerous calls in the years that followed, he remained at Emmaus for the rest of his ministry. Less than a year after arriving in the Valley of the Sun, son Tom arrived. David and Margaret loved serving at Emmaus; Rally Day church picnics and the children's Christmas Eve service were highlights of each year. David refereed contentious church league basketball games, participated in the church bowling league, and learned to give communion on crutches after breaking his leg playing church softball (probably against Grace). Rainbow baby, Johanna, came along in 1975, and the Gray family was complete. At least David thought so, until Margaret brought several pets and a number of ALA housing students into the family! Emmaus started a grade school in 1976, and David found great joy in teaching catechism and spending time at school with all the students. For years he raced against the fastest 8th grader and usually won! The students learned a lot from Pastor Gray, even when they got him off track talking about hunting and fishing! While at Emmaus, David helped start mission churches in Deer Valley, Paradise Valley, and Sun City.
He also served in various district positions including circuit pastor and district secretary and served on the board of the East Fork Lutheran Nursery and the ALA board of directors. Several pastors in the Valley decided to establish an area Lutheran high school for the children in Arizona, and in 1978 Arizona Lutheran Academy was born. During the school's first year at the St. Thomas location, David taught PE, which some students may remember usually involved running! The years flew by with many changes at Emmaus church and school. David had the privilege of working with many dedicated called workers, including teachers, principals, and vicars. He loved popping into Mrs. Rendell's preschool room and riling up her students, they loved to have fun with Pastor Gray. He was honored to baptize, confirm, marry, and bury generations of families. David loved being outdoors, camping with his family and hunting with many friends across the United States. He may have even asked the congregation members to pray that he get drawn. They never knew if he was kidding! He and his brother Bob grew up fishing and enjoyed many fishing trips together over the years. The family would travel to California to spend time with relatives, and when the kids were older, Margaret and David enjoyed spending time with friends on houseboat trips on Lake Powell. One of David's favorite places to get away to relax and do some hunting was at "the ranch", the home of dear friends near the Chiricahua mountains.
By the grace of God David survived a near fatal heart attack in 2005 and retired from the ministry in 2007. He was then a full-time husband to Margaret, and a full-time grandpa to his grandchildren. They enjoyed hosting friends and family and especially grandkids in their home and their swimming pool. In 2013, David and Margaret celebrated their 50 th wedding anniversary, and Margaret was called home to heaven in 2014. David stayed busy with the dogs, attending his grandchildren's football and basketball games, concerts and plays. He relocated to Sun City a few years later, loving his wonderful neighbors and all the neighborhood dogs. He enjoyed worshipping at Our Savior Ev. Lutheran, a church he had started, and he was honored to speak at their 50th anniversary service. His granddaughter, Emily, was his roommate for years, and he was blessed to be cared for by his dear neighbor, Cathy, during the last year. David is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Margaret, and an infant daughter, and is survived by his children, grandchildren, two brothers, and many other family members and friends. David dedicated his life to serving the Lord and being a husband, father and grandfather.
David's confirmation passage: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 KJV
Services will be November 1st at 10 am at Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church 3841 W. Sweetwater Ave. Phoenix AZ 85029 To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David Eugene Gray, please visit our floral store.