Tyler Gray

I took care of Tyler during his time at St. Elizabeth as his nurse. He was a pleasure to care for and regardless of what news he received he still continued to smile and crack jokes. Prayers for peace and comfort for his family and may he rest easily.

Tyler was a proud member of S.M.A.R.T. Racing (other members, you know who you are)! I remember Tyler (age of 15-16) convincing his father to take him to West Virginia to compete in Blackwater 100, dubbed by many as “The World’s Toughest Race”. While the other contestants arrived in their sponsored gear, equipment, and trailers, Tyler and his dad entered the scene with his motorcycle in the back of a pickup truck ready to go! Within minutes of the race beginning, Tyler had many in the crown cheering him on as the favorite underdog, looking for anything they could do to help him succeed!

This sums up Tyler’s life for me… Tyler always loved a great challenge and ensured that everyone around him enjoyed the adventure as well. He loved the outdoors and his appreciation for creation of all kinds was evident in everything he did. He had a way of making everyone around him feel like a friend and for those who were unhappy, it was his personal mission to turn that frown upside-down.

For those reasons (and the fact that he is my wife’s brother) I chose him to be one of my groomsmen 30 years ago. 1 Corinthians 15:26 describes death as an enemy and it truly is to all of us. Tyler worked to defeat it, and all of his family and friends rallied around him in the fight! Despite his best efforts, like all mankind, he fell asleep in defeat to the sadness of all of us. I find comfort in the fact that that same scripture (1 Corinthians 15:26) promises that the enemy of death will be destroyed!

Tyler will continue to live on in many memories, tears, moments, challenges, and joy that we experience in our future.
~Jeremy

To Tyler’s family and friends,
I worked with Tyler at Toyota. I considered Tyler a friend and I enjoyed our conversations about bourbon and outdoor activities. Tyler was a hard worker and everyone enjoyed working with him. Tyler had a very calm demeanor no matter what the stress level at work, and thus, I always felt better after talking with him. His genuine smile and great humor made it easy to be around him.
I will miss him greatly, but I am grateful to have know him and called him a friend.
– Anna

I know everyone is wondering about my title, Tyler gave me that name over 10 year’s ago, that’s about the time Tyler and I began our journey. I love this man with all my soul. We became instant friends, we talked about everything he had a way of making you forget about silly things and would always say where is that smile. About a year ago I got injured on the job. I was out on recovery when I was sitting out on my porch and saw a yellow bird, so I made a post on Facebook inquiring about what kind of bird this was, Tyler saw my post and decided he would try to tell me about my bird. Well about a week later I got a text from him telling me he got me a gift and was sending it to me, It was a pair of binoculars and a book about Bird’s, This man was fighting for his life and all he could think about was me and that silly bird. His message was I Can’t Have My Boo Not Knowing Her Bird’s. I Will Forever Love You Tyler, and for his Family you are in my prayers and you have my Deepest Condolences

You were Tom Sawyer to my Huckleberry Finn. I’ll never forget building a raft out of old pallets and then trying to figure out how we nearly drowned in that moss-covered pond. The go-kart with bad brakes. You introduced me to entrepreneurialism when we dreamed of starting a Ginseng farm in your woods. Racing horses bareback through the fields on the Haas farm.

If kindness and joy alone reward a man after his death, you are surely swimming in an abundance of wealth right now.

In so many ways Tyler, you ARE my childhood memory. Thank you for being you. Thank you for enriching my life. You are the model of the man I want my boys to become.