George R. Gray, 81, worked on Hubble
George R. Gray of Williamsburg, Va., a former Ridgefielder and an aerospace engineer who worked on the Hubble telescope, died on Tuesday, April 8, of cancer. He was 81 and the husband of Rosemary Gray.
As an employee of the Perkin-Elmer Corporation of Norwalk for more than 20 years, Mr. Gray worked on the Hubble Space Telescope Project, a joint venture between NASA and the European Space Agency. Launched in 1990, the Hubble is a space-based observatory used by astronomers around the world.
Mr. Gray was also responsible for the Maintenance and Refurbishment Plan for the telescope in orbit. In this capacity, he worked on the design of handling fixtures for all orbit-replaceable parts and assemblies. He retired from Perkin-Elmer in 1990 with the title of senior staff engineer of the Space Telescope Directorate.
Before joining Perkin-Elmer, Mr. Gray worked for American Machine and Foundry of Stamford in the company’s Advanced Products Group. While there, he was involved in the design of missile and space launchers, such as the Titan.
He was a member of the team that designed the Vertical Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral, Fla., in which many rockets, including the Apollo series, were put together.
Mr. Gray also worked for Boston Gear of Quincy, Mass., and the Camloc Fastener Corporation and Western Union Telegraph Company, both of New York City.
A graduate of City College in New York, he earned both his bachelor of mechanical engineering degree and his master’s of engineering there. He had also taken advanced engineering courses at Columbia University.
Mr. Gray served three and one-half years in the U.S. Army’s infantry division, where he earned the rank of first lieutenant. During that time he spent a year in Austria as an exchange officer with the 42nd Infantry Division.
A Wilton resident for 25 years, he had lived in Ridgefield for 10 years before moving to Wilton.
Along with his wife, he was an active participant in The College of William and Mary’s Christopher Wren Society and was a member of Colonial Williamsburg’s St. George Tucker House.
An amateur architect, he designed three of his homes. He was also an avid photographer who loved New England and coastlines, maritime history, boating and travel.
Besides his wife, survivors include a daughter, Allison Gray Sanders of Wilton; a son, Jeff Gray of Milton, Mass.; a grandson, Ian, of Wilton; and his brother, Robert Grenke of Middle Island, N.Y.
A Mass of Resurrection is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23, at 11 at Our Lady of Fatima Church on Route 7 in Wilton.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Support Care at Hospice House, 4445 Powhatan Parkway, Williamsburg, VA 23188.