Tom was born on December 22nd, 1981, the first-born son of Robert and Linda Gray.  After having wanted a baby for some time, Bob and Linda were thrilled at the birth of their son, their special gift born three days before Christmas and brought to their home in Sewell, New Jersey on Christmas Day.  He was proudly named Thomas Reynolds Gray, given the maiden names of his grandmothers, Elizabeth Thomas and Eleanor Reynolds.  A good-natured child from birth, he was the joy and delight of his parents.  However, it wasn’t long before Tom was joined by two younger brothers, Timothy Ryan (Tim) and Matthew (Matt) Christopher, jokingly dubbed “Frick and Frack” by their elder brother.  The trio was a close-knit bunch and shared many happy times with their parents as a family.  But the family was not without its challenges.  Tom was found to have some learning difficulties and several years later his mother was diagnosed with cancer. After losing his mother to that disease at age twelve, Tom quietly grieved while maintaining a brave-face and unwavering reliability, lending strength and support to his father and brothers.  It was Tom who pitched in at age 13 to keep the household running while his father worked.  Meanwhile, he attended Bunker Hill School in Washington Township and worked diligently to overcome his challenges.  He was a quiet and serious person, but also had his own brand of humor, always ready with a snarky quip for his dad and brothers, while also laughing until tears flowed at hearing a funny story.   

When his father re-married, Tom gained a stepmother, Sharon and three additional brothers: Kyle, Jared and Jeremy, as well as a sister Jessica.  The large, blended family of nine moved to Downingtown Pennsylvania.  There, Tom, now age 16, was enrolled in and later graduated from the Downingtown Area Regional High School.   He was proud to get his Pennsylvania Driver’s License and to get his first car, his first part-time job and becoming the chauffeur for his younger brothers for a time.  After graduating from high school, he lived in Montpelier Vermont for a year while attending the New England Culinary Institute.  His diligence and attentiveness in class impressed his teachers and the staff commended his good nature and quick humor.  After graduating with an associate degree, he returned to Downingtown. 

Tom worked in the food industry for time, doing food preparation for several area large grocery firms, but eventually he turned to other career interests.  But his stepmother could always count on him for advice on preparing the Christmas roast.   In recent years, Tom worked in the retail industry, eventually working in the specialty of security and loss control.  He was employed by The Home Depot Corporation when he passed away on December 7th, 2024, at age 42.  He leaves behind his parents, siblings, cousins: Kara and Eric, and his grandmother Cecilia (Ceal), all of whom will cherish his loving memory forever.   His employer, friends and colleagues will miss their hardworking, reliable co-worker whose friendly camaraderie and humor, characteristics which were the hallmark of his life. 

Relatives and friends are invited to attend Tom's visitation on Tuesday, January 7th, 2025, from 9am - 10am at McGuinness Funeral Home, Sewell, located at 573 Egg Harbor Rd, Sewell, NJ, 08080. A Funeral Mass will take place immediately following at 11am at Mary, Mother of Mercy Parish - Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Glassboro, NJ. Tom will be laid to rest with his mother, Linda, in New St. Mary's Cemetery in Bellmawr, NJ.