Kenneth James Gray

A Representative from Illinois; born in West Frankfort, Franklin County, Ill., November 14, 1924; attended the West Frankfort and Pope County elementary schools and graduated from West Frankfort Community High School; owner of Gray Motors, West Frankfort, Ill., 1942-1954; also operated an air service at Benton, Ill., 1948 to 1952; licensed pilot; during the Second World War served from January 1943 as a crew chief with the Twelfth Air Force in North Africa; served with the combat engineers of the Fifth Army in Italy; returned to the Twelfth Air Force and participated in combat over southern France and central Europe until discharged as a first sergeant in December 1945; one of the founders of the Walking Dog Foundation for the Blind; licensed auctioneer; elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-fourth and to the nine succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1955, until his resignation December 31, 1974; was not a candidate for reelection in 1974 to the Ninety-fourth Congress; elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-ninth and One Hundredth Congresses (January 3, 1985-January 3, 1989); was not a candidate for renomination in 1988 to the One Hundred First Congress; is a resident of West Frankfort, Ill. Gray was first elected to Congress in 1954 and served ten terms until high blood pressure forced him to retire in 1974. He returned to Congress in 1984 to serve two terms but retired again, citing a muscular disorder caused by a tick bite during a congressional visit to Brazil. Gray, a Democrat, was a colorful figure during his time in Washington. He was known for bringing federal projects to his depressed district, including a federal prison, an interstate highway, post offices and hospitals.