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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Ronald E.
4"Ron" Gray of Jacksonville, who passed away on June 7, 2016;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, Ronald Gray was born in Salina, Kansas to Clarence
7and Mary Gray on December 27, 1936; he graduated from Sacred
8Heart High School in Salina and attended Kansas Wesleyan
9University; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Ronald Gray worked in sales in Salina, Kansas and
11then North Platte, Nebraska, before moving to Springfield to
12manage the WMAY radio station; in 1968, he moved his family to
13Jacksonville to manage WJIL radio which began an almost 50-year
14love affair with the Jacksonville community; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Ronald Gray was active in the American Business
16Club and served as Chairman for the Chamber of Commerce, the
17Comprehensive Planning Committee, the CACHE campaign, and
18other committees; he also worked with the Central Park Plaza
19Association and Chapin Big Country Days; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Ronald Gray received numerous honors for his work,
21including Jaycees Boss of the Year, American Business Club

 

 

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1National Project Manager of the Year, the Illinois College
2Distinguished Service Award, the Friend of the Theatre Award,
3and most recently, he was elected a Rotary Club Paul Harris
4Fellow and received the Chamber Circle of Excellence Award; and
 
5    WHEREAS, After retiring from WJIL, Ronald Gray managed the
6Holiday Inn in Jacksonville and served on the Jacksonville Area
7Convention and Visitors Bureau Board; it was that involvement
8that led to the establishment of the Grierson Society and
9General Grierson Civil War Days, a tourism attraction that
10brought visitors to the area for 20 years; he received the
11first Friend of Tourism award from the Bureau; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Ronald Gray's passion for history led to many
13other community projects, the Save the Wheel committee that
14brought the ferris wheel to Community Park, helping to
15establish the Woodlawn Farm Underground Railroad site and the
16Jacksonville Parks Foundation, and the restoration of the
17Historic Bandstands at Prairie Land and Community Park; he
18loved old houses, antique cars, radios and circus toys, riding
19his scooter around Jacksonville and Marco Island, Florida, and
20driving his "bucket list" 2002 Camaro convertible; he cherished
21his friends and family and took great pleasure in the
22accomplishments of his five grandsons and his only
23granddaughter, who teasingly called him "Papa Pufferfish", and
24the joy of a new generation of great grandbabies to spoil; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Ronald Gray was preceded in death by his parents;
2his sister, Betty Jane Gray; and his first wife, Joyce Knudsen
3Gray; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Ronald Gray is survived by his wife, Mary Riley
5Gray; his son, Stuart Gray; his daughter, Sherri (Greg) Gray
6Bergschneider; his stepchildren, Chris (Cheryl) Green and
7Brenda (Bob) Green Cunningham; his six grandchildren, Paul Cody
8(Sara) Gray, Brady and Brandon (Ashley) Bergschneider, Michael
9and Connor Cunningham, and Elena Green; his
10great-grandchildren, Bentley, Kennedy and Hadley Gray, and
11Parker Bergschneider; his sister, Patricia Marcotte; and four
12nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
14NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
15mourn the passing of Ronald E. "Ron" Gray, and extend our
16sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew
17and loved him; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19presented to the family of Ronald Gray as an expression of our
20deepest sympathy.