William Mitchell Gray

Mr William Mitchell Gray (Bill), age 78 of Hoschton,GA passed away at his residence, surrounded by family on Wednesday July 10, 2024 after a short but difficult battle with lung cancer.

Bill was born to the late Thomas and Viola West Gray in Murphy, North Carolina, the youngest of five children.

Bill was a quiet overachiever, who accomplished much throughout his life through diligence, hard work and discipline. If there was a skill he wanted, Bill was willing to put in the work to become excellent at it. He was captain of the high school basketball team, valedictorian, and awarded military honors for excellent marksmanship. A pivotal childhood experience was working with his dad to build a small cabin on Lake Chatuge, which became a place of joyful family memories for the next 50 years.

In June of 1963, Bill knocked on Nancy Millsaps’ door to ask her for a date. They have been inseparable ever since. They were married in Hayesville, NC on June 10, 1967, and were later sealed for time and all eternity in the Honolulu, Hawaii Temple on February 14, 1970. Bill and Nancy were blessed with five children. As he put it, “Nancy and I have dedicated our lives to our children”. With his indomitable positive attitude, sheer perseverance, and unwavering patience, he handled the hard parts of parenting exceptionally well, and the small stuff, too. Family was Bill’s greatest joy and his commitment to them never wavered. The harshest thing heard in their home was the sound of his sneeze!

Bill graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Western Carolina University and earned a Master's in Organizational Behavior from Brigham Young University. He was a veteran of the United States Army, and went on to retire from Rollins Incorporated as a financial analyst. During his career, Bill’s curious, methodical, creative, and organized mind served him well as he improved the financial outcomes of a wide range of companies.

A lifelong learner, Bill loved learning and teaching, constantly acquiring new skills and perspectives. He was fascinated about how the brain worked and what motivated people to make good choices. He also learned to play guitar, ballroom dance, and trade stocks. He was known for his dedication to remembering people's names and the details of their lives because it showed that he cared. As a natural introvert who loved people, he made a conscious effort to smile and engage. He often said that his heart was bigger than his expression.

He was highly active throughout his entire life and was often found outdoors. He shared his love of hiking and his awe for the beauty of this world with his family. He had a silly and ever-present sense of humor, sometimes hidden beneath a solemn facial expression. Bill also enjoyed photography, gardening, and writing about things he learned.

A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bill was honored to serve in various leadership capacities. He had a great love for his Heavenly Father and Savior.

He is survived and deeply missed by his wife and the love of his life, Nancy Gray, for whom 57 years of marriage was just not enough; daughters Shilane (Darren) Mansell, Lana (Steven) Black, Rachel (Chris) Henthorn, Tember (Lou) Fasulo; son Taylor (Kimberly) Gray; grandchildren Justin (Hannah) Mansell, Mitchell (Grace) Mansell, Cannon (Rashay) Mansell, Jared (Emma) Mansell, Tessa (Logan) Black, Connor Black, Gavin Black, Holly Henthorn, Troy Henthorn, Aden Fasulo, Camilla Fasulo, Maddox Gray, Colton Gray, Hunter Gray, Lucas Gray; great-grandson Cal Mansell; his sisters Ginger Imperiale, Sandra Turner and Susan Riley. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Thomas Gray Jr.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 PM Saturday July 20, 2024 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 36 Sims Rd. Winder, GA, 30680. The family will receive friends and family from 1:30 - 2:30 PM at the church.

Braselton Funeral Home, 5257 Hwy 53, Braseleton, GA 30517 is in charge of arrangements. Send online condolences to www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com

Please make a donation to the American Lung Cancer in lieu of flowers