Anthony Earl Gray
CLOSTER - Anthony Earl Gray (nee Henry Anthony Graubart), 84, of Closter, NJ, passed away on Friday, November 3, 2023, at Villa Marie Claire Hospice in Saddle River, NJ after suffering a fall and hemorrhagic stroke in his home. Born to Edith and Leon Graubart in Waltham St. Lawrence, England, he moved to New York City with his parents and younger brother Michael in 1948.
Anthony attended MIT and received his BS in Mathematics from NYU. He also earned his MS in Mathematics from NYU prior to embarking on a career in the nascent field of computer science.
Anthony worked as a computer systems analyst for the entirety of his career at IBM, Dubner Computer Systems, and later Bayer. Anthony’s professional accomplishments included enterprise systems applicable to the Broadway TKTS booth, the vote-tracker for ABC’s Presidential Election coverage in 1996, software for credit unions across the country, and coding for bloodbased medical diagnostic machines.
Anthony was a lifelong philanthropist, supporting National Geographic, Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund, Audubon Society, Littoral Society, and served on the board of the Closter Nature Center for many years. He volunteered at the Closter Public Library, Institute for New Dimensions, and Jewish Home for the Aged to share his love of common melodies across musical genres.
Anthony enjoyed waterskiing, body surfing, swimming, snorkeling, boating, swimming laps at Demarest Swim Club, laughing and talking with swim club pals there afterwards and talking about politics with his daughter Stephanie on the beach.
Anthony and his wife Cookie were dedicated international travelers and especially loved Hapuna Beach, Hawaii, where they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2014. They also enjoyed going together to theatre, opera, museums and comedy.
Anthony found joy in classical music and was an enthusiastic audiophile. His favorite classical artists were Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Radu Lupu, Renee Fleming, Marilyn Horne, Beverly Sills, and so many more.
Many people who knew Anthony start with a story about him reaching out and offering generous and unsolicited support when they needed it. He was kind, generous, honest and decent. He relished the NPR Weekend Edition on-air puzzle and the Bronx Botanical Gardens, Piermont, and time in nature with his wife Cookie.
Anthony was predeceased by his brother Michael, cousins David and Ruth, uncles Izzy and Paul, aunts Lydia and Sylvia, and by his parents Edith and Leon. He is survived by his wife Cookie Gray, his daughter Stephanie Gray, his son Cameron Gray and daughter-in-law Julie Heider-Gray, and his grandson Connor Gray.
A private family ceremony will be announced in 2024. Contributions may be made in Anthony’s memory to No Kid Hungry (http://www.nokidhungry. org) or your local Food Bank.