Grayson Brumfield

Grayson Earl Brumfield, 93, of Arvada, Colo., passed away peacefully in Wheat Ridge, Colo., on Dec. 29, 2021. He was born Feb 3, 1928 to Benjamin Franklin and Mary Acors Brumfield on the family’s tobacco farm in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He was preceded in death by his parents; four older siblings, Henry Brumfield (Aileen), Edna B. Owens (Carroll), B.F. “Pat” Brumfield Jr. (Matilda) and Mabel B. Tucker (Vernon); and two nephews. He is survived by seven nieces and nephews and numerous great nieces and nephews.

After a short stint in the U.S. Army Air Corps, Gray – as he was affectionately known to friends – spent his career working for Bell Laboratories in New Jersey and Colorado. While he made his home in Colorado, he loved his family and came home annually to enjoy holidays in Virginia.

Two of Gray’s passions were bluegrass music and sports car racing. For years, he played the mandolin with Down Yonder, a bluegrass band in the Denver area, and he was a lifetime member of the Sports Car Club of America.

Although he briefly tried his hand at driving in the late 1950s, Gray’s real gift to the sport was volunteering and helping develop the modern system of flagging and communications used at tracks today. In 2016, the Colorado SCCA recognized Gray’s contributions to Colorado motorsports by awarding him the Jerry Van Dyke Award and inducting him into the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame.

He was an active member of the American Legion Wilmore-Richter Post 161 in Arvada. He also spent many years gathering and distributing clothes and food to Denver’s homeless population each week.

Special thanks go to all those who helped Grayson, especially family members involved in his care, neighbors Cecil and Marvine Ratley, and the staffs of Mountain View Assisted Living and Optimal Hospice. Services will be held at later date in Virginia.