William Gray, Government Accountant and Globe-Trotting Photographer, Dies at 82
William "Billy" Gray, a career federal accountant whose passion for photography led him to document landscapes across three continents during his retirement years, died on May 6, 2023, at Howard University Hospital in Washington. He was 82.
His death, following a lengthy illness, was announced by his family.
During his 38-year tenure with the federal government, Mr. Gray brought his methodical precision to the financial operations of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and later the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, earning multiple service awards. But it was his artistic pursuits and wanderlust that defined his life beyond the ledger books.
A self-taught photographer, Mr. Gray traversed South America and Africa in his retirement, capturing remote landscapes through his lens while amassing a collection of indigenous artifacts that reflected his deep appreciation for diverse cultures. His fluency in French, cultivated through years of dedicated study, allowed him to immerse himself in French literature and history, often reading original texts while enjoying his customary cigarette.
Tennis was another consuming passion. A fixture at the Turkey Thicket courts in his Washington neighborhood, Mr. Gray competed in local tournaments and earned recognition among the District's amateur tennis community.
William Gray was born on May 16, 1940, in Atlanta to George Walter Gray and Alma Williams Gray. Raised in Washington, D.C., he served four years in the U.S. Air Force before earning his bachelor's degree in accounting from Benjamin Franklin University.
His marriage to Deloris Brewington in 1966 ended in divorce in 1984. Their son Garrick William Gray died before him.
Mr. Gray is survived by his son, William Lamar Gray Jr.; his daughter, Veronica Dee Gray-Adgerson; his sister Constance Moody; two grandchildren; one great-grandson; and his aunt Helen Williams. His brother, Walter Gray, and sister, Selma Lee, preceded him in death.
A lifelong jazz enthusiast, Mr. Gray approached both his professional and creative pursuits with the same improvisational spirit and technical mastery that characterized his favorite musical genre. His photographs and cultural artifacts remain as testimony to a life spent balancing precision with artistic expression, numbers with images, and duty with adventure.
