Matthew Philip Gray

Matthew P. Gray, 44, of Elm Grove, Wisconsin, passed away on April 16, 2024, in his home surrounded by family and close friends.

He was born in Bloomington, IN, to Michael and Marlene Rataczak Gray. His family ultimately settled in Kohler, WI, where he spent his childhood.

Matt graduated from Lawrence University, Appleton, WI, in 2002 with a BA in Biology. At Lawrence, he met the love of his life, Maraty Theinpeng Gray; they were united in marriage in 2004 in Kohler, WI.

Matt was a perpetual student. He completed medical training at the Medical College of Wisconsin, including Medical School, Pediatric Residency, Resident Chief Year, and Pediatric Emergency Fellowship, during which he also earned a Master’s in Clinical and Translational Science. During residency, Matt developed a passion for quality improvement, which led to his work in informatics. Matt ultimately practiced clinically in the Children’s Wisconsin emergency room for seven years, where he mentored countless student physicians. For the past five years, Matt served as Chief Information Officer at Children’s Wisconsin and, more recently, also acted as Associate Chief Medical Officer.

Although he found his work at Children’s Wisconsin rewarding, the family he built with Maraty was the apple of his eye. He was especially proud of his daughters, Malisa and Mira, when they were nominated for or received awards recognizing their character and work ethic. He was a proud dance dad, and spending time on the soccer sidelines was his idea of a perfect weekend. Matt loved hiking, camping, live music, traveling the world with his family, good wine, big bonfires, and spending true quality time with family and friends. 

Matt will be deeply missed by his family, including his sister, Laura Gray (Matthew Dahnke); nieces, Lily and Ella Dahnke; aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and colleagues. Matt was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents. To say that Matt had a profoundly positive impact on the lives of many would be an understatement. He was a proud dad and uncle, devoted husband, passionate soccer team manager, gifted and compassionate physician, brilliant hospital administrator, and loyal brother and friend. 

A public memorial service will be held on Friday, May 10, 2024, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the Bolger Auditorium, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI. Remembrances will begin at approximately 4:15 p.m. An informal gathering will take place at Elm Grove Park following the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Matt’s memory can be made to one of two funds: Innovation in Pediatric Health or Cancer Research. 

For Innovation in Pediatric Health donations, please visit childrenswi.org/tribute. You can direct your gift to support the new fund created in Matt’s honor by selecting “Other” from the dropdown in the Gift Designation area and typing “The Matt Gray Fund for Innovation in Pediatric Health.”

For Cancer Research donations, please visit the Froedtert & Medical College Cancer Center website: https://mcwsupport.mcw.edu. Select “Other” for Gift Designation and then type “Cancer Center CTO.” At the bottom of the form, there is an option to make your gift a tribute to Matt.