Mr. Gray Wallie Wilson

Obituary Gray W. Wilson Gray Wallie Wilson, 60, long time resident of Las Vegas, Nevada died Friday, November 4, 2011 at his second home in Santa Barbara, Ca. He was born February 15, 1951 in Reno, Nevada to Leonard Albert Wilson and Evelyn Gertrude Rhoads Wilson. Gray's deep roots in Las Vegas extend back to 1906 when his maternal grandfather, Wallie Rhoads came following the Southern Pacific Railroad sale of plots of land which became the city of Las Vegas. Wallie operated OK Plumbing on Fremont Street where the Golden Nugget now stands. His fraternal grandmother, Alice Wilson came to Las Vegas in 1929 where she established the Red Rooster restaurant/casino/bar on what became the Strip. After graduating from Las Vegas High School in 1969 Gray received his BA in Theatre Arts from UNL V and his MFA in Cinematography from USC. He then returned to Las Vegas where he married Barbara (Barbi) Sharyn Apple in July of 1977. As a young man he was a member of the International Order of DeMolay where he established long lasting friendships and was also a member of the Executive Lions Club of Las Vegas and the Stage Hand Union. Gray spent many years writing scripts and doing production work in Las Vegas for conferences, conventions, trade shows and television commercials. In the early 1990's Gray joined his father in the real estate business and later became a real estate broker. After his father's death in 1996, Gray took exclusive control of the real estate business. He loved the outdoors, hitchhiked around Europe as a young man, played soft ball, was a skilled woodworker, loved four wheeling and riding his trike motorcycles. He was an avid bulldog lover and enjoyed playing golf and cheering for his USC football team. His talents were varied from the love of theatre, music, singing, playing instruments, as well as cooking, gardening and had recently taken up painting. Gray's optimistic and fun loving attitude toward life influenced many people around him. His constant struggle to live life to the fullest despite battling the effects of Cystic Fibrosis, which took the lives of his two sisters, revealed a true courage. He received a double lung transplant in 1994 and a kidney transplant in 2004. His recent battles with cancer revealed a man that faced life with a spiritual courage that touched many lives. He was a member of EI Montecito Presbyterian Church where he loved being in the choir and recently an usher as well as a member of the Men's Bible Study group which helped him strengthen his religious resolve and love of learning the Bible's teachings. He loved the beauty and community of the Santa Barbara area where he had planned to retire. In addition to his loving wife, Gray is survived by his brother L.A. Wilson II (JoAnn), Duncansville, PA; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Evelynda and Paula Lynn. He was loved and will be missed by many including his live kidney donor Melanie Sylvia Long of Las Vegas, NV. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 AM, Monday, November 21, 2011 at the Santa Barbara Cemetery. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:30 PM, Monday, November 21, 2011 at EI Montecito Presbyterian Church, 1455 East Valley Road, Santa Barbara, CA. 93108 In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 7582 Las Vegas Blvd. So. Ste. 474, Las Vegas, NV. 89123 or http://www.cff.org or to El Montecito Presbyterian Church Music Ministry. Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapels, Santa Barbara is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Gray Wallie Wilson

February 15, 1951 - November 4, 2011