James Gray

GRAY, James Wade, 67, died April 29, 2006, in Tampa. A beloved husband, father and grandfather, he was known to family and friendsas "Jim." Born in Miami, Fla., in 1939, he is survived by his wife of 41 years, Sandra L.; daughter, Mellisa Gray, and her partner, DeAnne Swann; two granddaughters, Madison Gray and Morgan Swann; sister, Mary F. Kirkland of Fort Myers, Fla.; and brother, John Gray of Sale City, Ga. Following graduation from Miami Edison High School, Jim entered the U.S. Air Force and began his career at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He spent his entire military career specializing on Russian and Arabic languages, starting at Syracuse University, New York, where he completed basic Russian in 1958. His next assignment took him to St. Lawrence Island, Ala., before going back to Syracuse to complete intermediate Russian. He was subsequently assigned to Rhein Main Air Base, Germany, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Yakota Air Base, Japan, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., then to a special assignment to the security facility at Key West, Fla. The Air Force then reassigned him to the Presidio at Fort Ord, Calif., where he completed advanced Russian. His next assignments were to Athens Air Base, Greece, then to Sinop, Turkey. After returning to the Presidio and completing coursework in Arabic, Jim was assigned to Karamursel Air Base, Turkey. He finished his military career attached to the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Md., and retired as a master sergeant in 1977, and moved to Tampa. Jim started a new career with the U.S. Postal Service in 1978, became a bulk mail analyst and retired in January 2004. A memorial service will take place at 10 a.m. May 8 at the Town and Country Chapel of Brewer ' Sons Funeral Home, 7701 W. Hillsborough Ave., (813) 887-4991. Family members and friends will be received at the Gray residence following the service. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to LifePath Hospice of Hillsborough County or the American Cancer Society.