[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 183 (Tuesday, December 8, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2908-E2909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN HONOR OF MRS. EDITH ARMSTEAD GRAY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 8, 2009

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 
and the legacy of

[[Page E2909]]

Mrs. Edith Armstead Gray. Mrs. Gray passed away December 1 at the age 
of 99. Mrs. Gray was a lady of style, grace, and compassion. But, most 
of all, Mrs. Gray earned the highest honor that could be bestowed upon 
any of us: ``Servant.''
  Mrs. Gray was born in Galveston, Texas, in 1910 to Henry and Millie 
Armstead. She enrolled at Tuskegee Institute, now University, as a 
student majoring in home economics. She accepted her first and only 
teaching job in Conecuh County, Alabama, and returned to summer school 
to earn her B.S. degree from Tuskegee in 1940.
  During her extraordinary teaching career, she became a great role 
model for thousands of young men and women who entered her classroom. 
But, her commitment and dedication to humankind did not limit itself to 
the classroom.
  Shirley Chisholm once said that ``Service is the rent that we pay for 
the space that we occupy here on this earth.'' Mrs. Gray paid her rent 
and she paid it well. She gave dedicated service to many community 
organizations to include: the Conecuh County branch of the NAACP; the 
Evergreen Housing Authority board of directors; the Neoteric Club, now 
associated with Neoteric Clubs of Alabama; the Mt. Zion A.M.E. Zion 
Church; the County Retired Teachers Association; and a life member of 
the advisory board at Reid Technical College. Because of her dedicated 
service to Reid Technical College, the library and technology center 
now proudly bears her name.
  Mrs. Gray was a trailblazer. She was a founding member of the Conecuh 
branch of the NAACP and the Neoteric Club. She worked tirelessly to 
make sure that citizens in her community exercised their power of the 
ballot.
  Mrs. Gray married Philander A. Gray in 1936. From that union came 
three accomplished children: Phyllis Hallmon, my chief of staff, 
Frederick Gray, and Jerome Gray. Upon the death of her husband in 1953, 
as a single parent, she reared her three children and passed on to each 
of them a love for people and public service. All of them have had 
distinguished careers and are making their mark on the world because of 
their mother's strong influence. Frederick has served for many years as 
a United Methodist pastor. His charge has been to bring souls to Jesus 
Christ for His service. Jerome has served as the State Field Director 
for the Alabama Democratic Conference. Like his dear mother, he has 
devoted his life and work to the expansion of political and civic 
opportunities for African-Americans. He has been involved in many 
capacities at the local and state levels in the fight for civil rights 
and equal opportunities. He currently serves as a Deputy Commissioner 
of Agriculture for the State of Alabama. Phyllis has also had a 
distinguished career, serving as a public school teacher, government 
lawyer, legislative director to a United States Senator, and chief of 
staff to two Members of the United States House of Representatives. In 
the same vein as her mother, she has distinguished herself as a woman 
of hard work and compassion. The legacy of Mrs. Gray will live on 
through each of them and their progeny.
  Her legacy of good will is something that we all should seek to 
replicate. Our country and our world are better because Edith Armstead 
Gray passed this way. She will be sorely missed. I know that after 99 
years of dedicated earthly service, she has now claimed her crown of 
righteousness.
  I extend my deepest sympathies to the Gray family and thank them for 
sharing this special woman with the world for so many years.

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