Kenneth J. Gray

Kenneth James Gray ( born November 14, 1924 in West Frankfort, Franklin County, Illinois ) is a former American politician. Between 1955 and 1974, and again from 1985 to 1989, he represented the state of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Career

Kenneth Gray attended the common schools, including West Frankfort Community High School. During the Second World War he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, and at times with the pioneers. It was used among others in North Africa, Italy and southern France. By 1954, Gray operated company Gray Motors in West Frankfort, which he founded in 1942. Between 1948 and 1952, he also maintained a flight service in Benton. He himself was an active pilot. Gray is also one of the founders of Walking Dog Foundation for the Blind.

Politically, he joined the Democratic Party. In the congressional elections of 1954 he was in the 25th electoral district of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington DC chosen, where he became the successor of Bishop CW on January 3, 1955. After nine elections he could remain until his resignation on 31 December 1974 at the Congress. In this time were, among others, the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement and in 1974, the Watergate affair. In addition, Gray joined the meantime the electoral districts. Between 1963 and 1973 he represented the 21th and the 24th District since 1973 his state. In 1974, he opted not to run again.

In the congressional elections of 1984, Gray was elected to the Congress in the 22nd District of Illinois, where he replaced Paul Simon on January 3, 1985. After a re-election he was able to complete two more legislative sessions until January 3, 1989. In 1988 he gave up another candidacy. After that, he is no longer politically have appeared.