More detail on this person: Joe E. Gray, 85, a
retired U.S. Army colonel and Bell Helicopter
Textron employee, went to be with the Lord on
Friday, Sept. 11, 2015, in Fort Worth. Memorials:
charity of choice . Col. Joe E. Gray was born Nov.
19, 1929, in Lawrenceville, Ill. He attended
secondary schools in Illinois, California and New
Jersey, and received a bachelor of science degree
from the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy.
He was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and Theta
Tau engineering fraternity. Col. Gray, a Corps of
Engineers officer, retired after active and
reserve duty career spanning 32 years. He served
overseas tours in German, Libya, Iran, Central
America and Vietnam as a member of the First
Cavalry Division. Col. Gray was awarded the Bronze
Star with V device, Presidential Unit Citation,
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Vietnam Campaign
Medal, Air Medal with 18 oak leaf clusters, Army
Commendation Medal, Army of Occupation Medal,
Meritorious Service Medal, U.S. Army Reserve
Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal,
Government of Guatemala Honor al Merito Medal
and the 2012 Congressional Veteran
Commendation. Joe was a 2012 world record setter
with the Masters of South Texas Relay Team in the
4-x-200 free relay. Col. Gray joined Bell
Helicopter Textron in 1968 and held many
marketing management positions during his 26
years working in Fort Worth, California and
Singapore. He was instrumental in the introduction
of the Bell models 212, 412, 222 and the 214ST. He
retired in 1993. His most recent venture had been
as the majority shareholder in Kachina Aviation of
Boise, Idaho. He was an active member of Bear
Valley Church in Colleyville and was involved in
its single parent mentoring program. Col. Gray was
an avid golfer, runner, swimmer, bicyclist,
racquetball player, sailor and tennis player up to
his death. He was preceded in death by his father
and mother, Leonard O. Gray in 1982 and E. Lucille
Gray in 1996. Survivors: Wife, Edith Charlotte
Gray; son, Douglas Frank Gray and his children,
Kyle Matthew and Christopher Douglas; son and
daughter-in-law, Bradley Wayne and Susan Ann
Gray and their children, Kyle Wayne and Jessica
Ann of Fort Worth; daughter and son-in-law,
Shannon Beth Gray-Holmes and Mark Orrin Holmes
of Fort Worth; and sister, Marilyn Jane Hooper of
Birmingham, Ala.
Published in Star-Telegram on Sept. 27, 2015
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association