Charles "Chip" Rieman Gray, Jr. passed away suddenly on April 10, 2024 at the age of 66.

Born and raised in the Knollwood neighborhood of Towson, Maryland, Chip graduated from Towson High School in 1976 and then attended Towson State University, earning a B.S. degree in Psychology.  During college, he worked part-time in the nursery at Watson's Garden Center in Lutherville, MD where he fell in love with plants, working outdoors, and his future wife, Tracy.

Chip continued in the green industry and eventually started his own company, Great Outdoors Lawn & Landscaping, Ltd. in January 1989.  His work ethic was second to none - rarely missing a day of work in 35 years.  The many wonderful messages and notes he received over the years spoke of his creativity and excellence at his craft.  When his age and sore back finally said it was time to retire in January 2024, he still volunteered to snowplow at the community that he and Tracy were renting at in Hunt Valley.

From the time Chip was in high school, he always said he had gasoline in his veins and loved muscle cars, offshore powerboats, and acceleration.  He was popular at Towson High with his red '68 Camaro with black stripes and then spent many of his adult years flipflopping between powerboats or "outrageous" cars (as he called them) before finally deciding on his "old man's car" - a Resto Mod 1963 split window Corvette coupe which he lovingly had restored.  He enjoyed driving his car to the Hunt Valley Coffee & Cars on Saturday mornings and meeting up with friends.

He and Tracy married in December 1984 and shared almost 40 years of marriage.  They built a house in Sparks, Maryland where they spent a great deal of time creating many beautiful landscape and flower beds all around their property.  They loved going to different garden centers and scoping out new varieties of plants here and there to add to their collection.  They also shared a love of St. Maarten, Caribbean cruises, July 4th week in Avalon, NJ, and in the latter years, Marco Island, FL - where they were building a house at the time of Chip's passing.

Chip was loyal, sincere, resourceful, and always willing to lend a helping hand.  He enjoyed keeping himself fit, would stop traffic to help a turtle cross the road, and loved cats, steamed crabs, huge Christmas trees, music, and warm, sunny days.

Chip is survived by his wife, Tracy (nee Runkel) Gray.  He was preceded in death by his father, Charles R. Gray; his mother, Bess Weaver Gray; twin sisters Barbara Gray Ruley and Betsy Gray Ives; and sister Katherine Gray.  He is survived by his one sister, Linda Gray Cooley, and many nieces and one nephew.

Chip is inurned at Bee Tree Cemetery in Parkton, Maryland.  He was deeply loved and will be missed.