Nancy Sue Gray, a beautiful sister, aunt, artist, nurse and friend, departed her earthly home in Deming, NM, on Sunday morning, February 23, 2025, to be with her Lord and Savior. She was 85 years old and left behind a life richly lived, deeply loved, and fully expressed.
Born on April 25, 1939, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Tucson, Arizona, Nancy was the beloved daughter of John Latham and Ethel Measday Gray. The family’s first home was a humble rock house in Sells, AZ, located on the San Xavier Indian Reservation. As World War II began, her childhood became a journey across the country—living in Ft. Bliss, TX, Fort Benning, GA, and Ft. Bragg, NC—offering her the gift of early adventure and resilience.
While her father served overseas, Nancy’s mother made a home in Silver City to be near her sister, Ruth McKinney. It was there that Ruth’s twin daughters, Frances and Ruth, lovingly helped care for Nancy, her sister Leah, and baby brother Warren—all under the age of five. Their father’s return from the war brought a joyful reunion. A move to Deming to be closer to Grandmother Maggie Measday brought even more joy, with a lively childhood spent among cousins, games, and laughter.
Sundays were often spent at the La Mesa farm of her paternal grandparents, Warren and Jenny Gray. There, family bonds were strengthened and values instilled. Her uncles, many of whom served in the military, inspired the younger generation to pursue education, faith, and love for country. Nancy and her siblings grew up attending church with their grandmother, where attendance at church was always followed by a feast of fried chicken and freshly caught catfish, served with love on fine china.
Nancy attended Deming schools, where she shined academically and socially. In high school, she was a spirited cheerleader for the Wildcats, was inducted into the Honor Society, and cultivated her lifelong passion for art—holding her very first show at the Marshall Public Library. During those years, she and other young women from Deming modeled in Tillie Alvillar’s popular fashion shows held at the Paquime in Palomas.
Her journey continued at New Mexico State University, where her Chi Omega sisters became treasured, lifelong friends. In 1958, she was crowned Homecoming Queen and Queen of the Military Ball. Nancy was also active in Spurs and Angel Flight.
In January 1960, she was named 1st runner-up in the national Maid of Cotton contest in Memphis, TN. That same year, Nancy had the extraordinary opportunity to live at the American Embassy in Rome, where her uncle George Gray was temporarily serving as the U. S. Ambassador to Italy. Looking out at the Roman Colosseum from the window of her room and traveling across Europe became unforgettable moments in her young life—adding layers of culture and beauty that continued to inspire her art.
When she returned to the U.S., Nancy pursued her passion for art with even greater dedication, studying at the San Francisco Art Institute and the University of California at Davis. She earned a BA in Fine Arts
and began her teaching career at Court Junior High in Las Cruces, where she shared her creative gifts with young minds.
Later, Nancy followed a second calling, as a registered nurse. She moved to New York City, where she earned a BS from Cornell University and a Master’s in Mental Health Nursing from New York Hospital. She worked there with compassion and commitment, helping others through some of their most vulnerable moments.
Eventually returning to New Mexico, Nancy continued her nursing career at Gila Regional Hospital in Silver City while always making time for her art. She created a broad and vibrant body of work throughout her life—paintings filled with color, emotion, and spirit.
Nancy was preceded in death by her father, John Latham Gray; her mother, Ethel Measday Gray; and her brother, Warren George Gray. She is survived by her sister, Leah Gray Jones Zachek, and Leah’s husband, Jerry Zachek; her sister-in-law, Beverly Gray Russell, and her husband, Dennis Russell; her nephew, Jeffrey Alan Jones; and nieces Jenifer Jones (Mark Schultze), Summer Rainn Hardeman (James Hardeman), Hannah Noel Gray, and Bethany Rose Gray.
Nancy’s final wish was to celebrate her life with beauty and joy—surrounded by the things she loved: art, music, good food, and laughter. In her honor, a Celebration of Life will be held at 2 PM on Saturday, April 26th at Luna Rossa Winery, 3710 West Pine Street, Deming. All who knew and loved Nancy are warmly invited to this heartfelt farewell.
On what would have been her 86th birthday, Friday, April 25th, Nancy’s ashes will be lovingly scattered from the Tres Hermanas mountains—where she and her childhood best friend, Delia Inmon Perez, once played and dreamed on the ranch. Delia and her daughter, Rebecca Hughes, will guide any friends and family who would like to join in this final tribute. For details on where and when to meet, please text (575) 543-8802. Afterward, all are welcome to gather for a picnic lunch at the ranch house.
Entrusted to the care of Baca’s Funeral Chapels and Mimbres Crematory.