Eight Bells: Ginny Gray

Ginny Gray

Virginia “Ginny” (Bell) Gray of Hingham, MA passed away on January 5 at the age of 85 years.

Ginny grew up between Boston and Cohasset before settling in Hingham where she contributed mightily during her long life. In 1971, along with her husband and other fellow Hingham residents, she founded the Lincoln Sailing Center (now Hingham Maritime Center) where she served for 31 years as Executive Director with the mission to make sailing lessons affordable and accessible to all.

She was honored for her efforts when she was recognized by President Reagan with the People-to-People Sports Committee Recognition Award in appreciation of outstanding contributions to international friendship, goodwill and understanding through sports.

Her sailing accolades were not limited to Hingham as she was the first woman Treasurer, Vice President and President of the Yacht Racing Union of Massachusetts Bay (now Mass Bay Sailing) which honored her with the Distinguished Service to Yachting Award in 1976.

She served as a US Judge to the America’s Cup in 1979 and 1983, amongst many other international, collegiate and local sailing events. She very much enjoyed judging college events in the 1980s-1990s and was known to bake homemade chocolate chip cookies for those who visited her in the protest room. The sailor who lost the protest always got the first choice of cookies.

She was a former Squadron Commander of the US Power Squadron of Bare Cove, a member to the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, a former member of the Cohasset Yacht Club and an active member of the Hingham Yacht Club.

She appreciated the opportunity to represent Mass Bay Sailing at USYRU annual meetings throughout the country. She would make new friends with common interest in supporting the sport of sailing. She enjoyed what the sport has to offer and wanted everyone else to as well.

She is survived by her daughters Martha Music of Allyn, WA, Margaret Curtis and Ellen Gray of Hingham, MA. Grandmother “Gamma” to Emily Curtis Pott, Thomas Curtis, Allison Cedeno, Brad Davis, Robert Dresser III and William Dresser. Great-Gamma to Madeleine and Dax.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: The Pat Roche Hospice Home, NVNA and Hospice, 86 Turkey Hill Lane, Hingham, MA 02043.