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 Gray, a Democrat, died on Saturday at a hospital in Herrin,
Illinois, according to the Parker-Reedy Funeral Home in West
Frankfort.
Born on Nov. 14, 1924, in West Frankfort, Gray served with the
army and air force in North Africa, Italy, southern France and
central Europe during World War Two, according to his
congressional biography.
He served in Congress from Jan. 3, 1955, until his resignation
on Dec. 31, 1974, and then again from Jan. 3, 1985 to Jan. 3
1989.
In 24 years in Congress he delivered $7 billion for regional
projects including interstate highways and the creation of a
lake to provide drinking water, The Southern Illinoisan
newspaper said.
In a 2008 interview with the newspaper, Gray, citing the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, said the lake had saved more than $100
million worth of property downstream during flooding years
earlier.
"If that is pork, pass me the plate, because I'll take another
heaping serving," he said.
(Reporting by Jim Loney; Editing by Bernard Orr)
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