Melvin L. “Ledru” Gray, 92 passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 at his home, on the ancestral Mock farm near North Webster.

He was born at home on March 20, 1923 in Pierceton (near Ridinger Lake), to Lester John Newton and Hazel Mildred (Mock) Gray, who were descendants of two local pioneering families.

He was a lifetime area resident and attended North Webster High School. On June 10, 1949 at the Salem Church in Bremen, and he married Mildred Pauline Lamprecht who survives after 66 years of marriage. He was formerly employed at Union Tool in Warsaw, Barth Manufacturing in Milford, and was a security guard for Reams and Stuart.

He was a member of the North Webster United Methodist Church and formerly attended the Mock Christian Church (Country Bible Church) and Morris Chapel United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife: Mildred Gray, Leesburg; two daughter: Carolyn Irene (Glenn) Meeks, Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Melody Ann (Dan) Ewald, Leesburg; a son: M. Lynn Gray, Leesburg; two grandchildren: Eric and Cassandra Ewald; two brother-in-laws: Paul Lamprecht and Harold Baker; cousins: Danny (Nancy) Gray, Tony (Pat) Strombeck, and Gladys (Strombeck) Culver; Several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded by his parents, sister: Luella Shoemaker; brother: Charles Gray; nephew: LaVene Gray.

Visitation will be from 2–4 and 6–8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Owen Family Funeral Home, SR 13 CR 500N, North Webster. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday in the funeral home with Pastor Byron Kaiser of the church officiating.

Burial will follow in Mock Addition of the North Webster Cemetery.

Memorial bequest may be given to American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 13067, Alexandria, VA 22312, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105, or Parlyzed Veterans of America, 7 Mill Brook Rd, Wilton, NH 03086. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.