Helen Elizabeth (Peterson) Gray

March 20, 1908 - February 04, 2013

Helen Elizabeth (Peterson) Gray Obituary (Age 104) Passed away February 4, 2013, one month shy of her 105th birthday. She was born March 20, 1908 in Mexico, Missouri to Emma and Rolla Lafferty. The family, including older sister Christine, moved to Spokane in 1911. Helen attended Jefferson Grade School and graduated from Lewis and Clark High School. She attended Washington State College, majoring in music and was a member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority. While attending Lewis and Clark HS she met her future husband, Andrew Hall Peterson. They were married June 15, 1929. They were beautiful dancers enjoying many tea dances at the Davenport Hotel. In addition to being a homemaker, she taught piano in her early married life. Helen was a wonderful cook and hostess. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren would say her pies and cookies were the world?s best. Helen was an avid golfer and bridge player into her 90?s. She was a longtime member of Manito Golf Club and in later years golfed summer days at Priest Lake Golf Course. As a young child, she and her family began the tradition of summers at Priest Lake. What started as canoeing to camp sites led to a hundred years of vacations at Hunziger?s Resort, Hill?s Resort and for the last fifty years, cabins in Kalispell Bay. Helen was preceded in death by her husband Hall in 1980, and her sister Christine in 1994. In 1983 she married Merton Gray, whom she met playing golf at Priest Lake. They moved to Riverview Retirement Community and enjoyed many years of summer golf and winters in Hawaii. Mert passed away in 2001. Helen lived out her life at Riverview where she enjoyed many friendships and excellent care from the staff. She is survived by her son Dick (Marion) Peterson; daughter Gail (Laurie) Miller; nephew John Hall of Seattle; nine grandchildren: Mari Peterson, Katie Scarcella Peterson, Anne Marie Donovan, Jeff Peterson, Michael Peterson, Betsy Miller, Molly Reischling, Suzanne Gustafson, Andrew Miller and 17 great-grandchildren. She was a longtime member of First Church of Christ Scientist. Private services will be held at a later date. Special thanks to Riverview Retirement Community for 25 years of care and to Hospice of Spokane for their care during her transition.