Nora Gray

Nora passed away with her dad Darrel in the Town of Ava as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident on August 27, 2026. Nora was born in Syracuse, NY on July 3, 2009 to Marion and Darrel Gray. Nora was a student and was about to begin her senior year at Adirondack Central School. She was enrolled in the cosmetology program and had completed her first year. Nora was active in the school musical department participating in Belle Choir and the chorus of the school musicals Mama Mia, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Spamalot.

At the age of three, Nora began learning gymnastics, and within a year she began to compete for Joan’s School of Gymnastics. At the time of her death she was in the USAG Excel Gold program. Her goal was to make it to states, and without a doubt would’ve made it this year as her previous year scores were high enough.

In her junior year she began diving for the school swim and dive team. Her goal this year was to make it to sectionals. Last season was cut short due to an injury on the board resulting in a concussion and whiplash. She missed the sectional qualifiers by less than one point, ending her season early.

Besides gymnastics and diving she was an avid football lover. For 10 years she was the water girl on the Adirondack varsity football team. She loved being on the sidelines with her dad. She enjoyed listening to her dad’s favorite sports podcast when he would drive her around . She rooted for her dad and brother’s favorite teams. The Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills. Thanks to her dad she had the opportunity to be a photographer at Dawson Knox football camp in 2024 and 2025. Besides football she loved hockey, specifically the Philadelphia Flyers, and enjoyed going to local games to support her friends. She loved the Boonville Lumberjacks and one summer had a lumberjack themed birthday party.

Most of her world revolved around sports, however her true love interest was “the city that never sleeps,” New York City. She loved everything about it. The lights, the chaos, the buildings, the graffiti. She saw beauty in every part of the city and loved the diversity in all the people there. She especially loved Broadway and went to New York about a dozen times, attending several shows. She loved them all, but Stranger Things and the Lost Boys were her favorites. Nora dreamed of one day living in the city. In that same desire to leave the small town came an intense fear of actually being out on her own and leaving the safety of her family home. Despite her insecurities, Nora had a strong sense of self and a strong sense of right and wrong. She was a social justice warrior and did not care if someone disagreed with her, she would share her beliefs about the right things to do. She could argue like a lawyer and many times won her case. She was an amazing human being and will be missed immensely.

She is survived by her mom, Marion Gray, her brother, Mitchell Gray, her best friend, Gwenevere Cormier (who is like a sister to her), her grandparents, Bob and Rita Higby, and her aunt and uncles: Jean (Mike) Lieber, and Bob Higby Jr, as well as cousins: Faith, Henry, Isaac, Keira, Brian, Kyle, Devon, Hannah, and Ryan.

She is predeceased by her grandparents, Darrel Gray Sr and Barbara Gray. She passed away with her dad Darrel.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend memorial visitation hours for Nora Ruby Gray and her father Darrel, on Saturday, September 5, 2026, from 10:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M., at the Exhibit Hall on the Boonville Oneida County Fairgrounds, Upper Schuyler St. Boonville. Services will follow at the same location on Saturday, at 3:00 P.M.

Memorial contributions may be made to a fund at Adirondack Central School to establish scholarships in memory of both Darrel and Nora Gray. Send checks to 110 Ford Street Boonville NY 13309. Please address the memo line: Gray Scholarship.