Obituary of James Edward Gray, Sr.

James Edward Gray, Sr. died at his home on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. Born on April 8, 1928 in Louisville, Kentucky, he was the son of the late Edward Russell Gray and Margaret Swan Gray. He was a 1946 graduate of Flaget High School in Louisville and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from the University of Kentucky in 1952. He was a veteran of the United States Army, serving as an officer from 1952-1954, and co-founded Cardinal Office Systems in Frankfort in 1956 with his brother-in-law, Robert A. Wunderlich. In 1958, he was elected President of the Frankfort Junior Chamber of Commerce after holding several other offices in that organization over the previous four years, and in 1959 was appointed State Secretary of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. He was elected Secretary of the Rotary Club in 1962. Mr. Gray was appointed Executive Director of the Kentucky Democratic Party in 1971 after being involved in the management of several statewide political campaigns, serving in that position until 1972. In 1973 he began serving in state government after being appointed as Highway Commissioner and Secretary of Transportation by then Governor Wendell H. Ford. In 1976 he was appointed by Governor Julian M. Carroll to the position of Secretary of the Public Protection and Regulation Cabinet, where he served until 1977 when he was appointed by Gov. Carroll as the Secretary of the Governor's Executive Cabinet, serving two years in that position. From 1979-1981, Mr. Gray was employed as a consultant by Hayworth, Meyer, and Boleyn Engineering, and returned to Cardinal Office Systems in 1981 as Chairman of the Board, a post he held until his retirement in 2005. Mr. Gray is survived by his wife of 63 years, Roberta Hardesty Gray, and his three children, James E. Gray, Jr. (Pat), Ann Gray Moore (Revel), and Stephen J. Gray. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Erin Gray Smith (Jon), Kelly Gray Burris (Dustin), James Kevin Gray (Caroline), Jonathan Gray Moore, Ryan Christopher Moore (Annie), Amy Moore Toncray (Tyler), Michael Stephen Gray, and Sean Edward Gray (Alisha); and thirteen great-grandchildren: Riley Elizabeth Smith, Reese Erin Smith, Cameron James Burris, Claire Elizabeth Burris, Brooks Walker Gray, Briggs Connor Gray, Aubrey Lynn Moore, Chase Daniel Moore, Emma Caroline Moore, Addison Kate Moore, Aiden Ryan Moore, Grayson Tyler Toncray, and Madelyn Grace Toncray; as well as his longtime caregiver, Kayleigh Count. He is also survived by three sisters: Joy Gray Baron, Jeannine Gray Buckley, and Jo Ann Gray, all of Louisville. Pallbearers will be his eight grandchildren and Jon Smith, Dustin Burris, and Tyler Toncray. Honorary bearers will be all former employees of Cardinal Office Systems, along with William P. Curlin, William Cox, Sonny Hunt, Terry McBrayer, Charles Lambert, Julian M. Carroll, Edward Deskins, Fred A. Meyer, James H. Corbett, Earl Thomas Wheat, Calvin Grayson, Al Robinson, and James H. Patton. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the St. Vincent dePaul Society, 72 Shepherd Way, Frankfort, KY 40601 or Hospice of the Bluegrass, 663 Teton Trail, Frankfort, KY 40601. Visitation will be Friday, May 13, 2016 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church. A celebration of life service with eulogies will be held at 7:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be offered in the Good Shepherd Catholic Church at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 14, 2016, followed by burial in the Frankfort Cemetery.