Paul Vincent Gray

(formal name Vincent Paul Gray)– Passed away at the Ottawa General Hospital, on Tuesday, July 9^th, 2024, aged 81, after a long battle with prostate cancer. His loving wife Nadia Stachowsky Gray was at his side to say goodbye. He was the son of the late Vincent Paul Gray Sr. and the late Jean Gray (née Meyer). Brother of sisters Paula Thomas (Frank Thomas), and Penelope Pieslinger; uncle of nieces Barbara Jean and Louise, and nephew Bob. Brother-in-law of Alex Stachowsky; sister-in-law Laura, uncle of nephews Peter and Michael; great uncle of Felix and baby grand-niece Laura. Paul will be missed by many close friends and colleagues from his working life, volunteering, hobby and artistic endeavours.

Paul was born in Toronto, Ontario on February 19, 1943, and raised and educated in Toronto through his graduation from high school at St. Michael’s College School. During his adolescent years he was an Air Cadet and succeeded in being the Senior Cadet in his squadron. This endeavour gave an opportunity for him to travel throughout Canada, the USA and Europe and so to get the Travel yen.  It was fun. His decision for university was to turn to his other important interest…history.  Paul’s University studies were in Honours History at Dalhousie University in Halifax, graduating in 1966. He was able to combine his interests by applying to the Immigration Foreign Service of Canada.

He joined The Canadian Immigration Foreign Service as a Foreign Service Officer in June 1967. Within the Foreign Service he wore several hats: postings to Hong Kong, London, Rome and as Officer in charge of Immigration Islamabad Pakistan, head of Administration Hong Kong and in Tokyo. In Ottawa the job that dovetailed his administration talents and love of travel had the initials PAM, Resource Manager for Asia Pacific Posts; lots of issues to manage and exploring interesting Posts. He got a chuckle when he could answer a phone call as PAM here. While posted in Pakistan, Paul with five friends and local guides used one holiday to climb a mountain to just above 15,000 feet. It was old fashioned adventuring.

All along there were other talents; in art, in stamp collecting, renovating an 1897 red brick farmhouse to be a “Victorian Lady” outside and a modern house inside; restoring a 42-foot wooden classic boat while on retirement and when completed enjoying her maiden voyage from Merrickville to Ottawa sometimes with smatterings of applause from the shore. Another endeavour on retirement was to volunteer for sixteen years at the Postal Museum in the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the now Museum of History.  It started as a project to participate in the organization of the Canadian Stamp Collection and grew to defining and designing fifteen original exhibits for the Postal Museum Display.

Paul was a multi-talented person, who when he got engaged in an interest; it was executed with imagination. His talents and interests were widely diverse, he enjoyed good books, music, sharing hospitality and companionship with friends. With wife Nadia, it was fun to adventure and to share in marriage for 50 years minus three months. His fight with cancer was too hard, so it was time for a farewell. He is off Adventuring with best wishes to family and friends!

Family and friends are invited to Beechwood, Funeral, Cemetery, and Cremation Services (280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario) for a Celebration of Life on Saturday, August 10, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Donations to CHEO, Kemptville Hospital Drive to get a CT Scanner, Cancer Research or SPCA, would be appreciated.