Long time Yarra Valley resident Cedric Gray. OBITUARY– Darren Gray
CEDRIC Henry Gray was born in Wayville, South Australia, on October 10, 1925, the first child for Ebenezer and Frances Gray.
After a couple of years of schooling at Pinnaroo, the family moved to the Yarra Valley, where both his parents’ families, the Grays and the Gaudions, had been pioneer settlers of the Wandin and Seville districts.
The family expanded, when Cedric’s younger sister Eunice was born and the pair would enjoy a very close bond throughout Cedric’s life.
As a boy Cedric loved fishing in the local creeks with his father, and bike riding. He also loved observing and catching steam trains on the old Warburton railway line.
When he finished primary school, he attended high school in Lilydale, to which he would ride most of the time, or catch a steam train.
Cedric was a very capable student, but he left school at the end of third form, to help raise money for the family.
As a young man Cedric learnt the skills of fruit growing and market gardening as he worked for local farmers and on the Gray family property in Walker Road Seville.
Cedric also developed a passion for motor bike riding in his 20s, and spent many Saturdays touring the area, particularly the Dandenong Ranges on his motor bike.
In 1959 Cedric’s life changed when he met Dorothy Jenkins, the daughter of a New South Wales grazier.
Earlier this year Cedric told one of his children that it was love at first sight, and that he knew that they would have a family together.
In April 1960 they were married in the Wagga Wagga Presbyterian church.
In July 1961 they had their first of four children, when Vicki was born. A second daughter, Janine, was born in 1962, while Wayne was born in 1964 and Darren in 1970.
As a dad, he enjoyed taking his own children fishing in the same local creeks that he had fished in himself with his father, to many local sporting activities, and to one of his favourite local attractions, the Puffing Billy steamtrain in the Dandenongs.
Cedric kept farming full-time as his family expanded, and supplemented his farm income during the winter months with work at local sawmills.
In 1966 he took on a permanent full-time job at Turners factory in Lilydale to ensure a bigger and more stable family income.
He stayed in the metal working industry as the factory moved to Nunawading in the 1970s.
He once estimated that in his many years working on the toolmaking machinery of the two factories that he would have made more than 100,000 shovels.
Throughout most of his time working in factories, Cedric kept operating the plum orchard, so his summers were always particularly busy.
The many organisations and groups Cedric belonged to as an adult reflected his enthusiasm to contribute to the community.
Cedric was a foundation member of the Australian Democrats political party, a member of the Lilydale Cemetery Trust for more than 30 years, a lifelong parishioner of the Wandin/Seville Uniting Churches (formerly Methodist) and a member of the Independent Order of Rechabites for many decades.
In his later years Cedric was an active member and very enthusiastic supporter of the Mont De Lancey Historical Museum in Wandin, where he loved working as a volunteer tour guide, a member of the local Old Fashioned Machinery Club, a member of the Wandin Probus Club and Wandin Senior Citizens’ Club.
Virtually everyone who knew Cedric, and many people did, knew that he was also a very proud Australian and a devoted monarchist who regularly flew the Australian flag at home.
Cedric was very well informed and well read in matters of politics and history, especially local history, and always impressed with his ability to recall detail.
Cedric finished working full-time in about 1990 after he had worked for a couple of years at Turama Industries in Silvan. He then enjoyed a very healthy and active retirement.
His retirement years were spent holidaying, being an active member of the many groups he was associated with, working in the garden of his house in Greenglades Court in Wandin, working on his old plum orchard in Queens Road planting trees and looking after cows – and visiting family and friends.
Cedric’s retirement years were, overall, very healthy years, until he was 79 when he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma – a type of blood cancer – in June.
Despite his failing health in his last five months, Cedric maintained a very positive outlook on life and accepted that he had a terminal illness.
His mind was sharp throughout his hospitalisation, and he regaled visitors with many of his stories and jokes.
Cedric passed away in late October at Kirkbrae Presbyterian Nursing Home in Montrose.
Cedric is survived by his wife Dorothy and his four children Vicki, Janine, Wayne and Darren and 10 grandchildren.
