Former Dean and Spanish Professor C.J. Gray Dies; Served University of Richmond for 33 Years
August 12, 2003
Former University of Richmond President E. Bruce Heilman once said Clarence J. Gray was "my left hand and my right hand." Gray, former dean of administration and a long-time professor of modern foreign languages at the university, died August 11. He was 95.
"Dean Gray was one of the legendary administrators in the university's history, having made a remarkable impact on academic and student life here during his more than three decades of active service," said current President William E. Cooper. "He was a revered campus figure and an important contributor to the university up until his death. If you count his student days and the years after his retirement, his involvement in the University of Richmond stretched for nearly three-quarters of a century. He was a dear friend, and he will be greatly missed."
Gray served as dean of students for Richmond College and the business school from 1946-68, dean of administrative services from 1968-73 and dean of administration from 1973-79.
Gray was not only an administrator and faculty member; he also wore a number of other important hats, most notably as host of the University of Richmond-WRNL Radio Scholarship Quiz for 18 years. The Quiz was a 13-week series broadcast from 1951-1972 over a network of Virginia radio stations. The radio competition awarded 27 university scholarships each year to Virginia's most outstanding high school students. Media critics noted that Gray handled the duties like a professional announcer, so much so that the show attracted a wide following throughout the state and assisted the university in attracting top-notch students.
Scholarship and leadership were such hallmarks of Dr. Gray's career at Richmond that his Richmond College classmates at their 40th anniversary in 1973 voted to recognize his many years of dedication and leadership in Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, and Phi Beta Kappa by establishing the Clarence J. Gray Achievement Awards for Excellence in Scholarship and Leadership. The awards are presented annually to a qualified graduating senior in Westhampton College, Richmond College, the Robins School of Business and the Jepson School of Leadership Studies. Each winner must be a member of both a scholastic and a leadership honor society and must be adjudged to have the best four-year record in scholarship and leadership in his or her respective college.
Gray served as National Secretary of ODK from 1966-72. In 1964, he received ODK's meritorious service certificate and was awarded ODK's Distinguished Service Key in 1968. Only 23 keys had been awarded in the previous 37 years. He also assumed the secretary-treasurer of Phi Beta Kappa's Epsilon of Virginia chapter in 1960.
While dean of students, he organized the faculty advisory program and the head residents' program. He started the faculty publication fund in 1970.
He also served as secretary of the trustee committees on honorary degrees and the history of the university. He was coordinator of national scholarships at other institutions of higher learning and was the university marshal, planning all university commencements, convocations and other formal events.
Besides hosting the scholarship quiz, Gray was also the public address announcer for major campus events for 30 years, including football, basketball and other sports. For 20 years, he was the public address announcer for the Southern Conference Basketball Tournament. He remained a fan up until his death, attending one or two basketball games a year and listening to others on the radio, wearing a Spider cap and sometimes his red Richmond sweatshirt.
After his retirement in 1979, he served as special assistant to the president and on the University of Richmond's Board of Associates. He was awarded an honorary degree of doctor of laws 1979 and was named dean of administration, emeritus, and professor of modern languages, emeritus.
He received a B.A. from the University of Richmond in Spanish in 1933, an M.A. from Columbia University in Spanish in 1934 and an Ed.D. from the University of Virginia in 1962 in Spanish, higher education administration and student services.
After his studies, he traveled throughout Spain and received a postgraduate certificate from Centro de Estudios Historicos in Madrid. Gray was a specialist in bibliographical and research methods, phonetics and Golden Age literature. He taught Spanish at Columbia and later at Queens College in New York before being commissioned in the Navy in 1943. His last-duty appointment was in Washington as lieutenant commander and officer-in-charge of the Navy's Educational Services Program. He was a lieutenant commander, USNR (ret.)
Gray received an Outstanding Educators of America Award in 1972. He was the 1972-73 recipient of the Voice of the University of Richmond Award for excellence in communication and received the University of Richmond Alumni Award for Distinguished service in1978.
He is the author of "An Evaluative Study of the Student Personnel Program for Men at the University of Richmond" and is listed in the Dictionary of International Biography. He was active in the First Baptist Church, the Volunteer Service Bureau, the Richmond Area Community Council and Rotary International. In his later years, he volunteered with a group that entertained in nursing homes and specialized in the dance numbers. He perfected his tap dance skills through lessons that he began at age 84 and, with the assistance of his partners, danced until he was 91.
He was born June 21, 1908, at Red Bank, N.J., orphaned at 5 and reared by his grandmother and grandfather. His grandparents ingrained a high level of character in Gray and his brother, according to Gray's wife, Jane Little Gray, who received a B.A. from Richmond in 1932.
At Richmond he had a strong interest in dramatics, according to his wife. He also was a member of Phi Gamma Delta social fraternity and was named a Distinguished Fiji in 1981-82, in the same year as ABC's Roone Arledge.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jane Little Gray, W '32; his son, Kenneth S. Gray, M.D., R'66; and his daughter, Frances E. Gray Adams, W '58. Survivors include daughter-in-law Michelle Gray and four grandchildren: Kenneth, Christopher, Sarah and Catherine Gray. He is also survived by many colleagues and devoted friends including Dr. and Mrs. E. Bruce Heilman, Carolyn R. Martin, and John and Lynn Moreau.