Blanche "Betty" Gray

Dear Donna and Family

We have lost a beautiful person and we had many good times with your Mom and Dad, I remember the time we helped them clear the property in New
Brighton, we had such a wonderful time and so many laughs, I don't think there was anything that Betty could not do. I still can hear her laugh she was always a happy person. She will be missed as she leaves an empty place in our hearts. Best to

Dear Donna and Family

We have lost a beautiful person and we had many good times with your Mom and Dad, I remember the time we helped them clear the property in New
Brighton, we had such a wonderful time and so many laughs, I don't think there was anything that Betty could not do. I still can hear her laugh she was always a happy person. She will be missed as she leaves an empty place in our hearts. Best to you and the family Donna you have done a wonderful and loving, caring for your Mom...I know you all will miss her but she is on a new journey of her new life. Please find peace in her passing and may each day be of more comfort to you all.

My mother was one heck of a woman. She usually got what she wanted, no matter how hard she had to work at it or how long it took. She made an art form out of being determined. Nothing was impossible for her.
As Kip and I grew up I watched her take apart (piece by piece) a piano and a dryer and a 1951 Mercury--she put the dryer and the Mercury back together--not the piano.
She wanted a walkout basement,

My mother was one heck of a woman. She usually got what she wanted, no matter how hard she had to work at it or how long it took. She made an art form out of being determined. Nothing was impossible for her.
As Kip and I grew up I watched her take apart (piece by piece) a piano and a dryer and a 1951 Mercury--she put the dryer and the Mercury back together--not the piano.
She wanted a walkout basement, so she removed a concrete block from the basement wall and started digging. Block by block, one bucket of dirt at a time she kept working until she broke through the surface and saw daylight.
She made my wedding gown and my sister-in-law Kathy's--never used a pattern. Just asked us what we wanted and deigned from scratch.
When Amanda was about to be born, Mum drove from Pittsburgh to New York with a crib strapped to the roof of her VW bug. She had to bring the dresser on a separate trip.
And when she was visiting our first house, she broke through a wall and made a doorway where she thought one should be--while Mac and I were at work and unaware of what she was doing!
I've watched her build a grandfather clock from a kit, and put in a concrete sidewalk around our house. She rewired our house (including the new electrical panel) while my dad, an electrician, sat in a chair watching to make sure she did it right.
She didn't know the meaning of the word "can't."
But with her it wasn't all work. Mum was always a kid at heart. She would play games (Pokeno, Tripoly, Blackjack, Canasta) with the neighbors (including all the kids) for hours--and she NEVER "let" us kids win. We had to learn the game, follow the rules, and beat her fair and square.
At the "pajama party" for my 15th birthday, Mum waited until we all finally settled down to go to sleep on the living room floor, then she and Kip bombarded us from the stairs with water balloons she had filled earlier.
She taught Kip and me how to make a "carbide cannon" using carbide drain cleaner, water, the empty

WOW WHAT A GAL!!!! NEVER HEARD A COMPLAINT FROM HER, EVEN WHEN I PICKED ON HER. BETTY GAVE ME MANY WONDERFUL HOURS OF FUN WITH CARDS, BINGO ,HAPPY HOUR AND JUST EVERYDAY HAPPENINGS, SHE LEAVES A TERRIBLE GAP THAT NO ONE COULD EVER FILL. I MISS HER SO AND . CHERISH
K4YIXTHE FEW SHORT YEARS THAT I KNEW HER,

Dear Donna & family,

We were sorry to hear of Aunt Betty’s passing. Even though it has been a while, there remain many memories of fun times with Aunt Betty and her exuberance. She was a sweet spot in all of our hearts and memories. The part of that filled by her presence, whether in strength or weakness, will now be left empty. Only the Lord, and also time, can heal over such empty spots. We are praying for you all,

Dear Donna & family,

We were sorry to hear of Aunt Betty’s passing. Even though it has been a while, there remain many memories of fun times with Aunt Betty and her exuberance. She was a sweet spot in all of our hearts and memories. The part of that filled by her presence, whether in strength or weakness, will now be left empty. Only the Lord, and also time, can heal over such empty spots. We are praying for you all, that you will seek and find the peace that comes from resting in God’s powerful sovereign hand; and while passing through suffering, will remember that He understands best the feelings of our loss, through His supreme act of offering His only begotten Son on the cross for us. May you find His grace to help in time of need, as He offers in the promises of His Word. And may the emptiness that the losses of this life bring eventually be filled with the eternal hope that only His personal presence can permanently secure.

With love and prayer,
Mark & Danette Gray

(And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29.13)

To Donna and family,
I wish we could all be closer, to share this time with you. We are there in our hearts.
When I think of Aunt Betty, it is always her smile I remember first. I can't think of one time when she wasn't smiling. She made our visits to your home when we were young so much fun, I have such great memories.
I am so thankful you all were able to make the trip to Pittsburgh, what a wonderful

To Donna and family,
I wish we could all be closer, to share this time with you. We are there in our hearts.
When I think of Aunt Betty, it is always her smile I remember first. I can't think of one time when she wasn't smiling. She made our visits to your home when we were young so much fun, I have such great memories.
I am so thankful you all were able to make the trip to Pittsburgh, what a wonderful time we had sharing stories and laughs.
Donna, your loving dedication to your Mum gave you both such a wonderful time together. And like you said, she is now on a new adventure, surrounded by loved ones.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Delores

Donna & family,
My deepest sympathies on the loss of you Mother. Thank you for sharing Betty with us at Lake St. Charles. She certainly keep us all on our toes. We could not get away with anything. Take care of yourselves.

Betty will always be remembered in our hearts for her human kindness and wonderful smile which she seemed to wear constantly. Her warmth was unmatched, We will miss her beyond words.

Donna and girls,

So sorry to see this about Nana. She was a great gal.
Love Pat

We enjoyed visiting with Aunt Betty at Jack and Linda's last year. She will be missed by everyone. When I think of all the family reunions, visits to the house in Jeanette and also in New Brighton I see her beaming smile. When we were kids, she could stop us in our tracks with - "I'll get you for that", then send us running off laughing, in another direction. She was a source of love and strenght. We were lucky to have her share that with us.