Robert G. Bob Gray

Robert G. Gray, 77, of Livingston, Montana, passed away on Thursday, April 18, 2019, at home with the love of family by his side. A memorial celebrating Bobs life will be held 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, May 1st hosted at the Livingston Christian Center, 1400 Mount Baldy Dr. Please come with a favorite memory to share. Graveside and burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery with Veterans Honors presented. A reception will then be at the Whistler Towing Shop located at 296 Hwy 10 W. (look for the Whistler trucks).Bob was born in Camp Crook, South Dakota, to Ephraim H. and Emma Jane (Anderson) Gray. The family (Bob had 5 siblings) moved numerous times his early years, before settling in Estes Park CO, where Bob graduated from high school. He was more or less the jock/stud there, where he played football, basketball and ran track.After graduation, Bob briefly attended college in California. In 1963 he joined the United States Air Force and served a short time, before he was forced to take a medical discharge. He worked as a professional ski instructor at Rocky Mountain National Park where he met his first wife, Anita Jones. While in Colorado, Bob also hauled gasoline and worked for a road construction company, while also starting a family.The family soon moved to Montana as Bob was promised a job at Big Sky as a ski instructor. The opening was delayed and Bob took work with the Ski School in Jardine, in addition to operating the Pack Sack Ski Shop in Livingston. He also worked for the Highway Department. He would go on to purchase Halls Ambulance and operated that service before adding his towing operation, Grays Road Rescue.After the children were grown, the family moved to Arizona for a brief time. When they returned to Montana, Bob helped Ken get his first operation off the ground. Bob then spent about 13 years in Helena running Treasure State Transit. He then moved back to Livingston, where he was an OTR semi-truck driver. In 1999, he met Jan (Blackburn) Scott in Billings, and on October 18, 2002 the two were married, where they made their home in Belgrade and Livingston.Bob, never wanting to be idle, worked with Ken and his crew, until his health would no longer allow him to continue. Bob wore many hats. He was a City Councilman, the choir director at Grace United Methodist Choir, and with a beautiful tenor voice, often sang in the Barbershop Quartet.He was one of the first nationally licensed EMTs, and also loved to referee basketball and drive the team bus. Many happy days were spent boating and water skiing with his children and grandchildren, but foremost he was a good man, willing to help anyone in need, a great dad and a wonderful husband. He was active in and supported his community in many ways, and when the kids were young, he was at their games and events. He has always been deeply proud of his family.Bob is survived by his wife of 16 years, Jan; his two children, Bekki (Doug) Hashley of Great Falls (formerly of Kalispell) and Ken (Amy) Gray of Livingston; grandchildren, Holli (Rory) Schulte, Emilee (Griffin) Stratton, Cassidy (Patrick) Kosena, Jaxen Hashley, Kalei and Trace Gray; great-grandchildren, twins, born on Bobs birthday, Briana and Gracie, Harlow and Brett; Jans children, Bolan "Boe" (Jill) Scott, Dallas and Shane Scott, and their kids, Madison (Chad), Terry, Vivian, Leland, Dylan, Nacia and Orion, and his mother-in-law Ila Johnston.He was predeceased by his parents Ephraim and Emma Gray.Memorials are preferred to the Livingston HealthCare Hospice. 320 Alpenglow Lane, Livingston, MT 59047Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements.