June W. Gray
Published 11:20 pm Thursday, October 6, 2011
June W. Gray, director of Camp Wawenock in Raymond, Maine, died on Oct. 4 at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. She was born in Suffolk, Va., on March 5, 1936, to Jackie and Graydon Gray. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Suffolk. She graduated from Suffolk High School, Westhampton College of the U. of Richmond, and did graduate work at Penn State University. June taught physical education and Latin at the elementary, high school and college level in Richmond, Va., Pennsylvania and Portland, Maine.
June was hired as a counselor at Camp Wawenock, Raymond, Maine, in 1956. She moved to live at Wawenock in 1963 and served over 54 years as a cabin counselor, activity counselor, program director, assistant director and in 1971 she joined Lillian and Sydney Ussher as a director, continuing in that capacity after their deaths through the summer of 2011. Professionally, June was recognized by professional camping organizations at the state, regional and national levels for her leadership in educational training programs for staff and new directors.
In 2010, June was an integral part of the celebration of Camp Wawenock’s 100th season. In 2011, June, on behalf of Camp Wawenock, placed 60 of its 90 acres in the Wawenock Forest Land Conservation Easement. June’s legacy at Wawenock is celebrated worldwide by over 1,300 Wawenock campers, staff and alumnae.
June is survived by cousins, Ann Butt, of Hurlock Md., Lynda Mathews, of Portsmouth Va., the Hon. Marvin K Gray, of Charlotte N.C., her devoted friend, Patricia Smith, of Raymond, Maine, and her loving Camp Wawenock family members. The Wawenock family extends deepest gratitude to the Gosnell staff for their professional care for June and the friendships that supported her.
A service of celebration for June will be held at the Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens in Suffolk, Va., on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. There will also be a service of celebration to honor June at Camp Wawenock on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 19, 2012. Donations to honor June’s life of service to Camp Wawenock may be sent to the American Camp Association — Camp Wawenock Scholarship Fund and mailed to Camp Wawenock, 33 Wawenock Road, Raymond, ME 04071. Arrangements are by Hall Funeral Home, Casco, Maine.