Elizabeth Maguire Gray
1960-2023
ORLAND--Elizabeth Grace Maguire Gray—known as “Beth” to her family and friends, and as “Mrs. Gray” to generations of kindergarteners in Bucksport—passed away peacefully at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor on March 6th. She was 62 years young.
Beth was born in New York and raised on Long Island. She came to Maine in the 1970s and immediately fell in love—with the place, with the people, and most especially with Burns Gray and his two children, Naomi and Lucas Graychase. For more than 40 years, Beth and Burns made a life together, eventually marrying and settling in Orland, and adopting their daughter Courtney Elizabeth Gray.
Beth’s passing was the result of a critical heart event at her home on March 1st, and has been a devastating blindside for all those who knew her. Beth was predeceased by her beloved parents, Bob and Peg Maguire, and by her younger brother, Timothy. In addition to her husband and children, Beth is survived by a large extended family, including: sister Kathleen Devlin and her husband, Sean; brother, Matthew Maguire and his daughters Jessie and Jenny; sister Chris Presto and her husband Tony; brother, Brian Maguire and his wife Fran, and their sons Christopher and Justin, and Justin’s wife Mary and their children Mason and Sophia; cousin, Carol Smith and husband, Jeff; mother-in-law, Ruth Gray; grandchildren, Bailey and Alyssa Graychase, and their mother, Cindy Graychase, and great-granddaughter, Peyton Findlay; as well as Lucas’s wife, Angela Graychase. Beth leaves behind a tremendous group of friends and co-workers, to whom she gave her heart every day. In particular, her life-long best friend and sister-in-law, Dee Peppe and her dear friends Katy Eberhardt and Laura McKnight, all of whom were by her side in her final days.
Beth loved music, good food and wine, entertaining, being with her family and friends, going to Naomi’s yoga classes, bargain-hunting, going to the beach, and spending time with her husband. She especially loved to ride on the back of Burnsy’s motorcycle, and to go for long Jeep rides through the back roads of Maine with him. She is dearly missed.
Beth's family, colleagues, friends, and loved ones are extremely grateful to the the following: the 911 dispatcher at Hancock County RCC who took Burns's call and who stayed on the line with Burns and guided him through CPR; to the volunteer firefighters from Naomi's department, the Orland Fire Department, who arrived quickly with the AED and were able to find a shockable rhythm; to the crew from Bucksport Ambulance, who worked so hard to keep Beth with us; and to the Emergency Department, Critical Care Unit, and palliative care medical teams and staff at Eastern Maine Medical Center who were kind, generous, and expert in their care of our loved one during her time with them. We are also deeply thankful to the team at Brookings-Smith, who gave us comfort, compassion, and treated our departed loved one with respect and care during this very difficult time.
In accordance with her wishes, Beth's remains were cremated and a memorial service is planned for August 2023. In lieu of flowers, Beth’s wish was for donations to be made to the Bucksport Animal Shelter.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Elizabeth Maguire-Gray, please visit our flower store.
1960-2023
ORLAND--Elizabeth Grace Maguire Gray—known as “Beth” to her family and friends, and as “Mrs. Gray” to generations of kindergarteners in Bucksport—passed away peacefully at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor on March 6th. She was 62 years young.
Beth was born in New York and raised on Long Island. She came to Maine in the 1970s and immediately fell in love—with the place, with the people, and most especially with Burns Gray and his two children, Naomi and Lucas Graychase. For more than 40 years, Beth and Burns made a life together, eventually marrying and settling in Orland, and adopting their daughter Courtney Elizabeth Gray.
Beth’s passing was the result of a critical heart event at her home on March 1st, and has been a devastating blindside for all those who knew her. Beth was predeceased by her beloved parents, Bob and Peg Maguire, and by her younger brother, Timothy. In addition to her husband and children, Beth is survived by a large extended family, including: sister Kathleen Devlin and her husband, Sean; brother, Matthew Maguire and his daughters Jessie and Jenny; sister Chris Presto and her husband Tony; brother, Brian Maguire and his wife Fran, and their sons Christopher and Justin, and Justin’s wife Mary and their children Mason and Sophia; cousin, Carol Smith and husband, Jeff; mother-in-law, Ruth Gray; grandchildren, Bailey and Alyssa Graychase, and their mother, Cindy Graychase, and great-granddaughter, Peyton Findlay; as well as Lucas’s wife, Angela Graychase. Beth leaves behind a tremendous group of friends and co-workers, to whom she gave her heart every day. In particular, her life-long best friend and sister-in-law, Dee Peppe and her dear friends Katy Eberhardt and Laura McKnight, all of whom were by her side in her final days.
Beth loved music, good food and wine, entertaining, being with her family and friends, going to Naomi’s yoga classes, bargain-hunting, going to the beach, and spending time with her husband. She especially loved to ride on the back of Burnsy’s motorcycle, and to go for long Jeep rides through the back roads of Maine with him. She is dearly missed.
Beth's family, colleagues, friends, and loved ones are extremely grateful to the the following: the 911 dispatcher at Hancock County RCC who took Burns's call and who stayed on the line with Burns and guided him through CPR; to the volunteer firefighters from Naomi's department, the Orland Fire Department, who arrived quickly with the AED and were able to find a shockable rhythm; to the crew from Bucksport Ambulance, who worked so hard to keep Beth with us; and to the Emergency Department, Critical Care Unit, and palliative care medical teams and staff at Eastern Maine Medical Center who were kind, generous, and expert in their care of our loved one during her time with them. We are also deeply thankful to the team at Brookings-Smith, who gave us comfort, compassion, and treated our departed loved one with respect and care during this very difficult time.
In accordance with her wishes, Beth's remains were cremated and a memorial service is planned for August 2023. In lieu of flowers, Beth’s wish was for donations to be made to the Bucksport Animal Shelter.
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