Linda Lewis Gray

After a long and challenging illness Linda Lewis Gray, of Wakefield, MA, passed away on Sunday, December 17. Linda was born March 29, 1949, the eldest child of John and Mary Gray. She attended Walpole High School and went on to study at Kalamazoo College and Boston College, where she received a degree in English. She met her husband, Albert, at a party in 1976. Together, they traveled across the country, visiting 37 of the lower 48 states, before returning to Massachusetts to start a family.

Linda’s greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her loving husband, Albert Fournier, her two daughters, Julia Fournier-Rea and her husband, Christopher Rea, of Granby, MA, and Anne Fournier and her fiancé, Charles Costa, of Medford, MA. She is also survived by her sister, Kate Gray Belding, and her husband, Patrick, of Burlingame, CA, along with countless other relatives and friends. She was predeceased by her brother, John Merrick Gray III, and by her parents. Her daughters credit her with everything they know. She appreciated a good cup of tea and a good conversation. Her quick wit and sarcastic sense of humor made many people laugh. A lover of animals, Linda could not resist anything small and cute and volunteered for PAWS, a local feral cat rescue organization, fostering dozens of wayward cats and kittens over the years. Above all, she adored her grandchildren, Sophie and Miles Rea. She was their kindest and most willing playmate, and her early morning pancakes will be dearly missed.

Linda was an unforgettable wife, friend, mother, and grandmother. She loved crossword puzzles, Netflix, reading, and baking. She was always willing to try new things and took up glassblowing, curling, and Italian in her later years. She was a lover of all kinds of food. A whiz at trivia, she loved learning and always looked up the answers to questions she didn’t know. She loved planning a trip and traveling the world, visiting Japan, Europe, and much of the US. She loved the outdoors, and spent a great deal of time birdwatching, playing tennis, and going for walks, as well as planting beautiful flowers and vegetables in her garden. Linda was a brilliant star that will shine brightly in the memories of the people she loved.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made in her honor to Sawtelle Hospice House in Reading or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.