Sr. Winifred Gray, (Sr. Mary Emmanuel) O.P.

Obituary Sister Winifred Gray (Sister Mary Emmanuel), age 88, a Dominican Sister of Tacoma died peacefully December 27, at St. Joseph Residence in Seattle. Sister Winifred was born in Glasgow, Montana on September 19, 1923. Her parents, Thomas Gray and Rosalie (Smith) Gray, a brother Earl Gray and a sister Betty (Gray) Danielsen, preceded her in death. She graduated from Holy Rosary High School, Seattle in June of 1941 and entered the Dominican Sisters at Marymount, Tacoma on June 9, 1941. She received the Dominican habit in January 1942 and made her profession of vows in January 1943. Sister Winifred attended Central Washington State College in Ellensburg. After receiving her BA from Central, she went on to attain her Master of Arts in Religious Education from Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles. Sister Winifred's ministry encompassed many years and she served in a variety of capacities. Her teaching career included St. Paul's School, Yakima (1943-1946), Mt. Virgin School, Seattle (1946 -1948), St. Francis School, Bakersfield, CA (1948-1949 and 1950-1955), Assumption School, Bellingham (1949-1950), Garces Memorial High School, Bakersfield CA (1955 - 1958). From 1958 - 1968 she served as novice mistress at Mt. St. Dominic Novitiate, Tacoma. She returned again to St. Francis School in Bakersfield where she taught from 1968-1970. From 1970 - 1975 she served as Principal at St. Francis School. In 1975 she was elected to the leadership team of the Dominican Sisters and served as the Director of Personal Development. In 1979 she became the Marymount Plant Manager, a position she held until 1987. In 1987, she became the first resident manager of Marymount Manor, a residence for low income seniors which is a sponsored ministry of the Dominican Sisters. Following a stroke and continual ill health, she moved to Harborview Manor in Tacoma in 1994. She remained there until her move to St. Joseph Residence in 2002. Sister Winifred had a great sense of humor and enjoyed life with the different sisters she lived with over the years. Her reputation for making pies and divinity were legend! It was a sad day for all of us when she could no longer make divinity for celebrations and holidays. Her smiling face welcomed all who entered her room at St. Joseph Residence. She enjoyed having people stop by to visit and she especially enjoyed having someone make her a root beer float! Many of the sisters had been staying with her days before her death. She remained gracious and warm to all who visited her during those last days. Sister Winifred is survived by her nieces Maryann Danielsen Boyle (Laurie Bertsche) and Marie Stimac (Ole); her nephews Tom Danielsen (Sue) and Jake Rebar and many grandnieces and grand nephews. Services will be at St. Joseph Residence (4800 37th Ave. SW, Seattle) Vigil, Thursday, January 5, at 7:00 PM. The Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, January 6, at 11:00 AM. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Tacoma, on Friday, January 6, at 2:00 PM. Memorial donations may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund, 935 Fawcett Ave. S, Tacoma, WA 98402 Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, Tacoma WA