Lyme, NH – Rebecca Gray of Lyme, author, publisher, fundraiser, mother, and lover of life, died peacefully March 31, 2026, after a five-year decline into memory care.
Born July 25, 1949, in Chicago, IL, Becky graduated from Francis Parker School before taking her degree in journalism from Boston University. In 1975 she married Ed in Boston, where together they started a family and founded their magazine, Gray’s Sporting Journal.
After moving with her family to Lyme in 1989, Becky launched a dual career as food writer and fundraiser. Highlights were helping raise millions to fight cancer through The Prouty and being the expert editor for wild edibles in the 75th Anniversary Edition of The Joy of Cooking.
She leaves behind her husband, Ed Gray of Lyme; her daughter, Hope Gray of Hudson, MA; sons Samuel Gray of Arlington, VA and William Gray of Springfield, VA; step-daughter, Caroline Fiske of Merrimac, MA; and step-son, Douglas Gray of Cambridge, MA along with their eight children: Katie and Alex, Madison and Scarlett, Timothy and Jay, and Lila and Ollie, all of whom have always known her as their grandmother, “Ra.” Also, her sister Connie and her husband Bob of Tubac, AZ and her brother, Lawnin, and his wife Rita of Bangkok, Thailand. Along with an extended and very close-knit family of nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers- and sisters-in-law, and her favorite uncle, Ray Smith of New Paltz, NY. And finally, but not even close to lastly, a loving handful of close friends and fellow adventurers with whom she shared a lifetime of challenges and laughter all over the world.
There will be no formal service beyond a few small private gatherings. Remembrances in her name given to this year’s Prouty will be everything she would have asked for.
Click here to sign the guest book or honor their memory with flowers, donations, or other heartfelt tributes