GRAY, MARTIN BENNETT (BEN)

1935 - 2021

Ben Gray was born in Akron, OH, and raised in Mansfield, OH. He graduated from Mansfield High School, and then earned a B.S.E.E. from Ohio University and an M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Rochester. He was a Senior Engineer with General Dynamics Corporation in Rochester, NY, where he specialized in digital telephony engineering, and held four patents. In 1971 he joined the U.S. Department of Commerce Institute for Telecommunication Sciences in Boulder, and later became Assistant Director of the Boulder Lab’s Office of Telecommunications Policy. In that capacity, he was instrumental in developing the policy that fostered the advancement of push-button and cellular telephone features and services. Ben was a Senior Fellow in the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). In Boulder, Ben served four years as President of the board of directors of the Pine Brook Hills Water Department. He enjoyed travel with family, especially trips through Greece, Egypt, and Hawaii. He was a dedicated mountain hiker, a champ at ping-pong, an excellent cyclist, and a jogger in the Boulder foothills where he lived.

Ben died at home of Parkinson’s disease. He will be sorely missed. He is survived by his wife, Evie Gray, his daughter, Sabrina Joan Lee of Longmont; his son, Bruce Gray of La Jolla, CA; two grandchildren (Jen Lee Hart of Meade, CO, and Brian Lee of Johnstown, CO), and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, Roger and Elizabeth Gray of Mansfield, and by his sister, Janet Crosson of Lancaster, PA.

The family will hold a Celebration of Life service for Ben in June.