John Wilson Cray

John Wilson Joseph Cray was born May 19, 1933 in New York City, and died on November 7, 2019, at the age of 86. John was the fourth son of Lulu and Richard Cray and is preceded in death by his parents and three brothers. John grew up on Grand Avenue in the Bronx, NY, graduated from Fordham University, and went on to serve two years in the military. Following his service, he married Mary Maloney in 1957. The couple established their home in Brooklyn, NY and soon became the proud parents of son, John Cray (wife Pam), and Melanee Arrieta (husband Albert).

The accounting degree John earned at Fordham University opened doors for a remarkable career that began at Shell Oil Company in New York, NY and ended with Wells Fargo Bank in Atlanta, GA. The Cray residences spanned from NYC to Lafayette, CA , Middletown/Little Silver, NJ, and ended in retirement in Atlanta, GA.

Although sometimes displaying a fiery temper to match his red hair, John was a kind, honest, loyal, and proudly punctual man. His love of family and strong Roman Catholic faith was known by all who knew him.

John was incredibly proud of his two children and supported all their endeavors and educational pursuits. He coached John’s Little League team, and was a proud groomer at Melanee’s equestrian events. As a licensed motorcyclist, his enthusiasm paved the way for both children when they received their first mini bikes, a first foray into family cycling adventures! Later in life John methodically helped his children evaluate colleges and encouraged them to experience university life more than 800 miles away from home at Georgia Tech. His love and determination to see them succeed and do their best continued throughout his life.

In later years, John greatly enjoyed the company of his grandchildren. The youngest, who resembles him most in appearance, is Gaby, his little “munchkin”. Sharing cupcakes, cookies, and of course Dunkin Donut munchkins created so many moments of joy between the two of them. Alex was his first and only grandson. Although many hours were spent sharing their interest and knowledge of World War II aircraft, John’s greatest gift to his grandson, and his grandson’s final farewell to him, was the lesson of how to how to give and receive a man’s handshake. His oldest granddaughter Casey was a young girl when he first introduced her to her favorite game of Yahtzee and the art of rubbing his bald head for good luck. Those games were always a lively family tradition.

John leaves behind his wife Mary, married for nearly 62 years. Through the years they have endured many joys and sorrows together. The last four months of his life were difficult for both, as aggressive large B cell Lymphoma was diagnosed, and numerous complications were identified before, during, and after two successful rounds of chemotherapy. Their strong Roman Catholic faith and support from Christ the King Catholic Church were a solace during this difficult time. A Memorial Mass will be held at 9:30am on Saturday November 30th at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta.