Deede and Howard Gray - "Living Life to the Fullest"

Deede and Howard Gray

Each year, thousands of patients experience the exceptional patient care that is provided at Indian River Medical Center. Our hospital and its staff regularly receive cards and letters from grateful patients expressing their gratitude for the high quality medical attention they have received here. A few of those patients stand out for their outspoken advocacy of their experiences here. Howard and Deede Gray are among them.

Howard, now in his fourth year as a member of the Board of Directors of Indian River Medical Center, attributes Indian River Medical Center with extending his life and helping him maintain the quality of life he continues to enjoy with his wife, Deede, their son and two granddaughters. He has undergone so many medical procedures here that Deede refers to him as "the bionic man." Howard's breadth of experience at Indian River Medical Center makes him a unique spokesman for the quality of care that is consistently provided to the patients here. It is because of that care that Howard and Deede have made a significant gift to Indian River Medical Center in their estate plan.

Most recently, Howard was a patient at the new Heart Center, a program affiliated with Duke University Health Systems. He was among the first patients at IRMC to undergo a heart catheterization with Dr. Joel Greenberg, MD. "When I first arrived in Vero Beach, I found the hospital quite advanced for a town this size and was impressed by the vision for its future," Howard commented. "As a member of the board, I was invited to attend one of the first meetings with Duke. I am very proud of the Duke affiliation because it has confirmed what I have known all along – that we have an outstanding medical facility here at Indian River Medical Center."

Howard grew up in southwestern Virginia, where his father was employed with the Norfolk and Western Railway. Howard enlisted in the Navy Flight School upon his graduation from Virginia Tech in June 1942. In 1943, he was commissioned in the Marine Corps and served in both WWII and the Korean War. Following his military service, he joined an insurance claims business as a novice. Twenty-five years later, he owned the company and eventually sold it to what is now Equifax. Howard and Deede now reside year-round in John's Island.

In addition to his work with Indian River Medical Center, Howard has participated with a number of charitable causes in the Vero Beach area. He has served as chairman of the VNA/Hospice House, has worked with the Homeless Family Assistance Center and was on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Indian River County.

Last year, he was elected a member of the Honorary Board of the IRMC Foundation in recognition of his outstanding contribution as a tireless advocate for our hospital and its Foundation.