Dona Lee Gray

Obituary Dona Lee Gray passed away peacefully on August 26, 2021. She was 83 years young. She is the wife of Thomas Gray, former police chief of Manitou Springs. They had been married for 62 years. Lee was born on May 15, 1938 in San Diego, California to her parents, William "Bill" and Dona Gentry of Denver, Colorado and Honolulu, Hawaii. Lee graduated from Punahou School of Honolulu and attended the University of Southern California and the University of wife Hawaii. She and Tom started dating while in the 8th grade, were high school sweethearts and were married in Honolulu in 1959. They lived there for a while, then Palo Alto, California where Tom was on the police force. They moved to Cotati, California where Tom served as the Police Chief. Tom moved to the Manitou Springs Police Chief job in 1994, bringing Lee and his family with him. The Grays remained in Colorado ever since. They worked in real estate for years and bought the old Avenue Hotel in Manitou Springs for a residence. In 1984 they turned it into Grays Avenue Hotel, becoming the first "Bed & Breakfast" establishment in the Pikes Peak Region which they operated successfully for 20 years. During her retirement years, Lee joined the Colorado Springs YMCA, the Colorado Springs Senior Center and performed with the Senior Chorale of the Rockies for several years. Lee is survived by her husband, Tom; three children, Will Gray of Manitou Springs, Karen Sucharski of Ajo, AZ and Sarah Erickson of Mackay, Idaho; four grandchildren, Paul, Dustin and Ethan Sucharski and Connor Erickson; her sister and nephews, Sue Teehan and Peter Teehan of Colorado Springs and Tom Teehan of Manila, Philippines. Her daughter, Dona Jeanne "DJ" Gray and her oldest granddaughter, Genevieve "Genny" Sucharski have preceded her in death. Services Memorial Gathering Wednesday September 1, 2021 2:00 PM Cappadona Funeral Home 1020 E Fillmore St Colorado Springs, CO 80907