Evelyn Amelia Gray
Evelyn Amelia Gray died in Corona del Mar December 17th at the age of 95. She was born in Slaton, Texas March 24, 1915. Private graveside services were held with family members attending at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Glendale Tuesday, December 21st. Evelyn and her family located to California while she was a young child. She later met and married Lawrence A. Butler, a captain on the Los Angeles City Fire Department. The couple had two sons, Carl and Larry. Evelyn was widowed in 1949 when Lawrence was killed during a hunting expedition.Eight years later she met and married William Claiborne Gray, a custom home builder in Newport Beach. She was a successful real estate agent in the San Fernando Valley and later when she worked for John Macnab at Macnab Irvine Realty in Newport Beach where the family resided for many years. Evelyn and Bill retired to the Santa Ynez Valley in 1974 where they enjoyed many wonderful years on their small ranch in the township of Santa Ynez. Evelyn was active in the Hospital Auxiliary, the Santa Ynez Valley Women’s Club, and The Bridge Club. Evelyn is survived by her two sons, Lawrence Russell Butler and Carl Arlington Butler and daughter-in-laws, Vanessa and Janice. She is also survived by grandchildren, Ashley, Evelyn, John, Lawrence and Thomas and one great grandchild, Mackenzie. The family has requested that those wishing to honor Evelyn Gray’s memory, please donate to; VITAS Hospice Care, 220 Commerce, Suite 100, Irvine, California 92602.