Catherine Virginia Bunten Gray, 101, passed away Saturday, October 4, 2025. Catherine “Kitty” was born May 31, 1924, to Helen Catherine Bunten and Thomas Ellsworth Bunten in Thomas.
Her growing up years were spent in Thomas until her senior year of high school, when they moved to Morgantown. Kitty graduated from St. Francis de Sales High School and attended West Virginia University. The family moved to Silver Springs, Md. and Kitty married Dowell Trubue Gray October 14, 1945, at Newport News, Va.
Kitty was predeceased by her husband, Dowell Trubue; her parents, Helen and Thomas; her eldest son, Dowell Trubue Jr.; and her brother, Thomas “Buddy” Bunten and his wife, Doris.
She is survived by her children: Thomas (Barb) of Man, Patricia Wildman of Morgantown, Richard (Karina) of Romney, Press (Antoinette) of Albermerle, N.C., Mary Ann (Rusty) of Morgantown, and Jeffrey (Caroline) of Gettysburg, Pa.; grandchildren, Terri (Jeff) Doss of Man, Tommi (Mark) Stanley of Loris, S.C., Tammy Gray of Albemarle, N.C., Kirk (Erinn) Pirlo of Dayton, Ohio, Kimberly (Henry) Moltz of Huntsville, Ala., Kent (Cassandra) Pirlo of Morgantown, Jennifer (Matthew) Fitzwater of Louisville, Ky., and Kara (Devin) Soisson of Midvale, Utah; her great- grandchildren, Ethan, Jane, Jake, Arden, Lily, Henry V, Charlotte, Joel, Isaac, Rustin, Lavender, Xanto, Theo, Ruby and Lucas; and two great- great-grandchildren, Ella and Eli; her niece and nephew, Sherry Eash and Dale Bunten.
Kitty was an icon in the Laurel Point community. She was known for her great cooking and canning skills. She was a member of the Laurel Point CEOS, a Cub Scout leader and a leader of the Laurel Point 4-H Club. She created fabulous Halloween costumes for her children in their growing up years.
She volunteered at the local food pantry, the Red Cross blood mobile and on several church committees during her early retirement. She was a member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions, in Catherine’s memory, to Catholic Charities or a charity of one’s choice.
Visitation will be held in McCulla Funeral Home, 770 Fairmont Road, from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, October 9. Visitation will continue Friday, October 10, from 10 to 11 a.m. in St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 1 Guthrie Lane, Morgantown. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m., with Father Binu Emmanuel as celebrant, assisted by Deaon Pierce Murphy. Following the service, Kitty will be laid to rest at Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens.
Condolences may be extended to the family at www.mcculla.com
