Alex Dean Gray (Dean) was born in Sandy, Oregon on May 2, 1928, to Alex and Mildred (Bosholm) Gray. He was their only child. Dean lost both of his parents at a young age and was raised by his grandmother and grandfather on their farm outside of Sandy. Dean attended Sandy Grade School and graduated as the class president from Sandy High School in 1946.
On Christmas Eve in 1948, he married his high school sweetheart, Dort Stockman, at his home in Sandy, where they lived until moving to Powell Valley and finally to Pleasant Home, east of Gresham. Out of high school, Dean was a photography specialist in the Air Force. After the military he worked at Koch’s Mill in Sandy before moving into sporting goods and working for Frank Bashor Supply and Arch Billmire. He was active in sports all of his life, as an athlete playing baseball and basketball in high school and after. Dean was a fan of all sports but baseball was his passion and he served as the president of Junior Boys Baseball of Oregon for 16 years.
On September 16, 2020, Dean passed away after a short illness. Dean is survived by his three children, Judy Lofstedt of Sandy, Gary (Cherri) of Sandy, and Doug (Carolyn) of Boring. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Aaron Gray, Kacie (Abe) Bund, Richie (Amy) Gray, Andy (Amber) Gray, Laura (Charlie) Kent, and Kraig (Autumn) Lofstedt; and eleven great-grandchildren, Nadallie, Zoei, Colton, Josh, Luca, Axel, Grayson, CC, Melina, Bodey, and Jude. He is also survived by sisters and brothers-in-law as well as many nieces, nephews, and friends. Preceding him in death was his wife of 69 years, his son-in-law, Greg Lofstedt, and his brothers-in-law, Gene Stockman, Vern Gillham and Frank Paluck. He was loved and will be missed by many.