Nathan Addison Gray

Heaven welcomed another beloved soul on Saturday, May 9, 2009, when our dear husband, father, son, brother and friend Nathan Addison Gray died tragically in a motorcycle wreck.

Nathan was born June 14, 1980, in Cleveland to Timothy and Terri Gray. He lived there for the first six years of his life, and in 1986, he moved with his family to Fairbanks.

The Gray family lived at 16 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road, and this is the home where Nathan and his siblings Deven, Ruthann and Ryan spent their childhood. Raising sled dogs and horses, snowmachining and playing in the woods were some of their favorite pastimes. Nathan and his family were members of Bible Baptist Church, and this is the church where Nathan grew up, was saved, was educated and served the Lord.

Nathan played baseball and basketball, and his love for sports eventually led him to Nenana where he met the love of his life, Annie. They had their first child, Kaitlyn Rose, in 1999, and in 2002, they were married at Bible Baptist Church. Nathan and Annie welcomed their second child, Regan Elizabeth, in 2003 followed by their two sons, David Aaron, born in 2005, and Ethan James, born in 2008. Family was everything to Nathan, and he loved nothing more than his wife and children.

Nathan was a staff sergeant in the Alaska Air National Guard at Eielson Air Force Base, where he worked as an administrative assistant for the Commander Support Staff of the 168th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Nathan loved working in the Guard and acquired many friends during the eight years he was there. While serving in the military, he was able to travel to Guam, Norway, England and Qatar.

Some of Nathan's favorite things included going to church, dating his wife, playing and wrestling with his kids and being surrounded by people he loved. Nathan had a passion for motorcycles. This passion was shared by his father, Tim; his brother, Ryan; and many of his close friends.

He faced one of the biggest trials of his life when his father passed away in the summer of 2008. After that, he took on the responsibility of being the head of the Gray family and caring for his mother. Nathan will be remembered as an outgoing, loving person who made friends wherever he went. He knew the value of living each day to the fullest, not taking for granted the time God gave him and though we mourn the loss of Nathan here on Earth, we rejoice in the promise that we will see him again in heaven. 

Nathan was preceded in death by his father, Timothy A. Gray; and nephew, Cameron L. Gray.

Nathan is survived by his wife, Ann K. Gray; mother, Terri L. Gray; daughters, Kaitlyn R. Gray and Regan E. Gray; sons, David A. Gray and Ethan J. Gray; sisters, Deven K. Whorley and Ruthann Gray; brother, Ryan F. Gray; nephews, Austin M. Burleson, Tristan C. Duran, Xander A. Duran, Tre' M. Aguilar, Killian F. Gray, Martin R. Frankson, Raymond J. Vance and Blake T. Gray; nieces, Whitney A. Parzick and Ashlynn F. Macchione; fathers-in-law, James S. Allen and Roy J. Vance; mother-in-law, Rosemary G. Allen; brother-in-law, Kevin G. Vance; sisters-in-law, Laura Vance and Emily A. Vance; honorary aunt, Traci Boschert; honorary brother, Dominic J. Macchione; honorary sister, Laila E. Fullford; and many other loving relatives and friends.

A funeral will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday, May 21, at Bible Baptist Church with Pastor Douglas Duffett officiating. Burial will follow at Northern Lights Memorial Park and a reception will follow at the Westmark Hotel at 5 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nathan A. Gray Memorial Fund at Wells Fargo.

Arrangements were by Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home.