Gerry Gray was memorialized Thursday in a procession and ceremony that showed him to be perhaps Redding’s most celebrated public servant of all time. Gerry was many things to many people. He served leadership roles with many agencies, not just the fire department but also the Shasta Cascade Hazardous Materials Response Team, the Office of Emergency Services, and a number of other agencies, as well as industry organizations such as the California Fire Chiefs Association. He had a hand in many projects. The same sort of dynamic could be said of Gerry’s relationships. Many people called him a good friend, with no idea that so many others did as well. That was made clear during Thursday’s memorial service in Red Bluff that followed a procession of emergency vehicles through Redding. The turnout made it appear more like a parade than a funeral procession. Chief Gray was well liked and respected by his colleagues, as well as the public, as he set a great example among public officials for his communications skills, his accessibility and his overwhelming kindness and optimism. Gerry Gray will be sorely missed. Donations may be made to the “Gerry Gray Memorial Account”, which will be used to assist students with firefighter academy tuition. The account is set up at the Cornerstone Community Bank on South Main Street in Red Bluff and East Cypress Avenue in Redding.
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