Gray, Arlyn Gerald

Arlyn Gerald Gray, 82, of Elkader, died Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, at the Elkader Care Center. Funeral Services: 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 11, at Peace United Church of Christ, Elkader, with Pastor Andrea Mericle officiating. Burial will follow at Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Clayton Center. Friends may call from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Leonard Funeral Home, Elkader, and one hour before the service Friday at the church.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann of Elkader; children, Cheryl (Don) Bossard of Farmersburg, Jay “Lynn” Gray of Fountain Hills, Ariz., Dean (Joanne) Gray of St. Olaf, and Duane (Ruth) Gray of Thomson, Ill.; nine grandchildren, Ann (Jeremy) Smith, Jerry (Kelly) Bossard, Talitha (Joe) Kozlowski, Rebecca Gray, Sarah Gray (fiance Todd), Abby Gray, David Gray, Steven (Nicole) Gray and Flora Gray; four stepgrandchildren, Chris Jones, Jon (Lora) Jones, Angie (Chad) Jilek and Andrea (Jeff) Braunger; two great-grandchildren, Domenik Smith and Skylar Gray; eight stepgreat-grandchildren, Madeleine and Megan Jones, Xander and Xavier Jones, Kinsey and Kamryn Jilek, and Ava and Ethan Braunger; sister, Alice (Harold) Sorenson of Ames, brother, Alan (LaVon) Gray of Blue Grass; sisters-in-law, Eileen (Les) Smith of Marion, and Florene (Lee) Kopecky of Cedar Rapids; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Arlyn was preceded in death by his parents; sister and brother-in-law, Arlene and Harold Dicus; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Amy and Eugene Dvorak.

He was born May 19, 1928, the son of Thomas and Gladys (Claybaugh) Gray in Kamrar, Iowa. Arlyn grew up in Jewel, Iowa, and worked on a turkey farm before moving to Northeast Iowa.

On Dec. 7, 1950, he was united in marriage to Mary Ann Seeland. Four children were born to this union. Arlyn hauled pop for a local distributor and drove semi for a few years. The majority of his life was spent farming, until his retirement in 1995.

Arlyn was a 4-H leader for the St. Olaf Junior Farmers, served on the board of the Gunder Cheese Factory and was an active member of Peace United Church of Christ in Elkader, where he served on the church council. He enjoyed dancing, playing cards, fishing and spending time with family and friends.

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Leonard Funeral Home in Elkader is in charge of arrangements.