Senator Elmon T. Gray matriculated at Virginia Military Institue in the fall of 1942. Interrupted by two years of service to the U.S. Navy, he returned to VMI to complete his degree, graduating in 1947. In 1972, Gray became a member of the Senate of Virginia. During two decades of senatorial service, he was a member of many key committees and was widely respected by colleagues of both parties. As the longtime chairman of the Senate’s Education and Health Committee, he was one of the leaders in the
effort that markedly improved higher education throughout Virginia.
In March of 2009, VMI recognized his service to the Commonwealth by presenting him with the Harry F. Byrd Jr. ‘35 Public Service Award. Senator Elmon T. Gray passed away on September 27, 2011. The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame posthumously recognizes Senator Elmon T. Gray as the 2012 Distinguished Virginian.