Ms. Tena Louise Gray

July 14, 1959 - November 10, 2014

Tena Louise Gray, age 55, died on Monday, November 10, 2014 in Unity, NH of Huntington’s Disease. Tena was born in Bar Harbor, Maine on July 14, 1959 to Geraldine Abbott Betourney and Harry E. Gray. As a very young child, Tena lived in Kitzingen, Germany for 5 years. She became fluent in German by kindergarten and often translated for her family. She spent her childhood in Bar Harbor, ME; Fort Devens, MA; Augusta, GA; and Newport, NH. She graduated from Newport High School in 1978 where she played field hockey, basketball and softball. She received an Associates of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy from Claremont Vocational Technical College (now River Valley Community College). Tena worked as a COTA at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, NH and Haven Health Center, Claremont, NH. Previously, she had also worked at Sullivan County Nursing Home. She lived in the Rochester, NH area for most of her adult life. Tena was a kind person. She loved children, especially her nieces and nephews. She loved all types of animals including her cat, Ollie. She truly enjoyed riding and working with horses. She was a frequent volunteer at soup kitchens and would help anyone in need. Tena had many hobbies that she enjoyed - playing pool and darts, playing cribbage and card games. She liked the outdoors and spent time hiking, swimming, snow shoeing and riding snowmobiles. She loved spending time with family and friends. She had a contagious laugh and a mischievous personality. She was fun! She loved life and lived it well. Tena is survived by her mother, Geraldine Betourney, Claremont, NH; her sisters, Patricia DiPadova, Newport, NH and Elizabeth Cannard (Martin Cannard), Sandown, NH and her brothers, Ronald Betourney, Claremont, NH and Aaron Betourney (Charlene Betourney), Athens, GA; her aunts and uncles, Richard Abbott, Hancock, ME; Thomas Abbott and Gale Abbott, Bar Harbor, ME and Andrew Hopkins, East Millinocket, ME. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Emily DiPadova, Northampton, MA; Anthony DiPadova, III and Molly DiPadova, Newport, NH; Lee Cannard, Hooksett, NH; Alexander Gray, Sebastian Cannard and Grace Cannard, Sandown, NH. There will be no visiting hours. A graveside service will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Plains Road, Claremont, NH on Saturday, November 15 at 1 PM. Memorial donations may be made to the CHDI Foundation, an organization devoted to Huntington’s Disease research, at 350 Seventh Ave, Suite 601, New York, NY 10001. Tena’s family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of the Sullivan County Nursing Home for the compassionate care they provided to Tena in her final years. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Roy Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 93 Sullivan Street, Claremont, NH.