Kenneth Robert "Ken" Gray

Kenneth Robert Gray passed peacefully at his home, surrounded by love, after a lengthy illness on Monday, December 29, 2025. He was 74 years old.

Ken was born in Somerville, the beloved son of Robert and Ruth Gray. He grew up in Burlington and was a proud member of the Burlington High School Class of 1968. From an early age, Ken excelled in sports and revealed himself to be a remarkably talented, creative, and gifted artist. It was in an art class in high school that he met the love of his life, Michele Boudrot. They married in 1973 and shared 52 beautiful years of marriage, partnership, and devotion.

Sports played a meaningful and lifelong role in Ken's life. In high school, he played football and baseball and was manager of the hockey team. His love of athletics naturally led him to coaching, even before he became a father. Ken coached baseball and later spent many dedicated years coaching youth hockey in Watertown and locally while his son was playing. He served as an assistant football coach alongside his longtime high school friend, Joe Leone at Hudson Catholic High School, which then led to an assistant coaching position at Maynard High School.

Ken truly loved teaching the sports he cared so deeply about. He found joy in helping young athletes develop their skills and in witnessing the moment when something finally "clicked." He firmly believed that sports were about much more than winning-they nurtured teamwork, attention to academics, coordination, self-confidence, and character. While Ken had a strong competitive spirit, he always understood that the true value of sports lay in social development, personal growth, and helping young people discover their passions and sense of self.

Ken's children inherited his love of sports. He never missed their track and cross country meets, field hockey, baseball and hockey games. Ken was able to witness them both as they taught "Learn-to-Skate" in college. In recent years, he loved seeing his grandchildren learn to bike, swim, and surf. On Ken's final day with us, he watched videos of their ice skating improvements.

Ken's creativity guided him throughout his life. He worked on stage design for class, community, and middle school plays. He attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Montserrat College of Art during its early days when it was located on the Crane Estate. During those formative years, Ken honed the skills and discipline that would shape his professional life. He began working at Gunn Associates and later at Intramedia, a small start-up company. He then founded his own business, Ken Gray Design and Illustration, which he successfully ran for many years. His work included illustration and design for catalogs and advertisements, navigating the ebb and flow of seasonal demands, tight deadlines, and constant revisions. Ken balanced a strong desire for perfection with the realities of each project-a challenge he met with determination and care.

His creativity extended beyond his professional work. Ken loved helping his family and neighbors visualize renovations and additions, and he could tackle just about any project around his home-from design and construction to roofing, stone walls, and walkways. He was also an avid gardener and took pride in maintaining his yard. While Ken was something of a homebody, spending much of his time working from home or on projects around the house, he always cherished connections with both longtime and newly made friends.

Ken loved spending time in nature. He brought his children on adventures in the open land right out the back door before the trails were marked. Most often, a much-loved dog was leading the way. Early on it was Ben and then Willie, his two Springer Spaniels. When they were gone, he looked forward to other dogs visiting, especially his granddogs.

Ken will be lovingly remembered for his creativity, his passion for coaching and teaching, his generous spirit, and the many lives he touched. His legacy lives on in his family, his work, and the countless young athletes and friends who were fortunate to know him.

Ken was the beloved husband of Michele (Boudrot) Gray. He was the proud father of Shannon Gray of Saratoga Springs, NY & her partner Christopher Konik and Evan Gray & his wife Lindsay of Rye, NH. He was the proud grandfather of Gavin and Emmaline Gray. Ken was the brother of William Gray & his wife Cheryl of Bradford, Daniel Gray & his wife Salvina of Stoneham, and Joann Warrino & her husband Joseph of Burlington. He was the brother-in-law of Patricia Boudrot of Quincy, Paulette Boudrot of Stow, Clifford Boudrot of Reading, the late Darlene Boudrot and late Andrea Boudrot. Ken is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Stow Conservation Trust online at https://www.stowconservationtrust.org.

A celebration of life service will be held at a future date.