Al’s mortal journey ended on Wednesday, November 4, 2020. He will be missed by his wife, Elsa, his sister, Diane Gray Murach, nine children, twenty grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren.
Al was born in Seattle, Washington to Esther Hermina Mortenson and Aldon Andrew Gray. As a youth, Al developed interests that would greatly influence his life. He attended Queen Anne and Roosevelt High Schools, where he began a lifelong love of sports as he participated on both the baseball and basketball teams. Also, as a young child, he frequently rode with his father in his bus as he organized sightseeing trips for tour groups. This sparked his spirit of adventure and later in life, Al was the leader of a large travel group called The Spirit of Utah, which visited over 80 nations.
While attending Brigham Young University, he met and married Elsa Mykol in 1958. They settled in Seattle, Washington, and Al began a 38-year long career with Albertson’s Food Centers (1958-1996), holding several management positions, the last as Vice President of the Utah Division.
Throughout his life he faithfully served in many callings, including Bishoprics, the High Council, Quorums and Groups, a youth teacher, and a three-year service mission at the Church Conference Center. Of his service he said, “We have witnessed hardened hearts soften, tears of joy shed, and people’s lives changed when exposed to the spirit found in the Conference Center”. He was also a diligent home teacher and pledged to try his best to never miss a monthly contact with his home teaching families.
His final wishes were “At a time when we reflect upon our life’s work, it would be nice to have each of us covenant to restore and forgive any broken relationships we have with one another.”
There will be a viewing in Al’s honor Friday, November 13, 2020 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 South), Sandy, UT. Private family funeral services will be held.
In lieu of flowers, take your family somewhere and discover our beautiful world.
What a wonderful picture of Al and what gratitude we feel towards him and Elsa. He touched many lives and we feel fortunate, with so many others, to have been able to be a part of "The Spirit of Utah". Along with travels, we shared a love of the Dillards sales. We will forever hold a warm place for him in our hearts and he will be greatly missed. Elsa, we are happy to do anything for you anytime and pray you will feel love and comfort as you carry on living and enjoying this world. That is what Al would want. The last line of the obituary was beautiful. Thank you, Al, for showing the way.
Sorry for the loss of your husband, father, Grandfather.
Harold & Sandra Biggs