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Rev. Merle Porter Gray, 87, died October 1, 2010. He died of natural causes. His favorite comment was "I'm 87 and ready for heaven." He was born in Warren Pennsylvania on March 12, 1923 to Ralph and Genevieve Gray. The Gray family consisted of 12 children who helped on the farm on Yankee Bush Road. At the age of 15, Merle felt called to be a minister. He attended Eastern Nazarene College where he met his wife Alma Ruth Walker. They were married in 1946 and they began their ministry in the Nazarene Church in the same year. 40 of the 50 years Merle spent in ministry were spent serving the American Indians of Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico. He spent 30 years as principle and then superintendent of the Nazarene Indian Bible College located in the South Valley of Albuquerque. During this time he attended UNM and received his Masters degree in education. After retiring from the ministry, Merle and Ruth continued to attend the First Indian Church of the Nazarene where his students, Rev. Julian and Bernita Gunn are pastors. His service to the Indian people was never a job but a deep passionate love. Merle will always be remembered for his constant joking. He could find something humorous in almost anything. He very rarely complained and accepted life as God presented it to him. In his last years he enjoyed singing songs he wrote, watering his yard and watching the hummingbirds from his front porch, while holding his little shadow," Little Bit". He would say his job was just to sit and hold his little dog all day! Merle is survived by his daughter Judy and her husband Jim Boren of Albuquerque, Ralph and wife Larae Gray of Yuma Arizona, and was preceded in death by his son Merle Porter Gray Jr. of Albuquerque. His grandchildren are Kevin and Keith Leamons, Roxanne Houston, Rebecca Gray, Rachelle Bondora, and Susanna Gray; Jennifer Otero and Christopher Gray. He is also survived by 11 great-grandchildren. Merle is survived by his eight brothers and sisters: Wendell Gray of Stanley, New York, Melvin Gray of Georgia, Paul Gray of Florida, Rachel Chandler, Broadview NM, Russel Gray, Grand Junction Co, Jim Gray of Warren Pa, Dorian Gray of Nashville Pa, and Madeline Colvin of Warren Pa. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, October 6, 2010 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., at Riverside Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held Thursday, October 7, 2010 at 10:30 a.m., at Riverside Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park. Arrangements by Riverside Funeral Home 225 San Mateo Blvd. NE 764-9663
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