Dr. Eugene Kray

Dr. Eugene J. Kray was born on June 16, 1935 and passed away on October 9, 2020.  He is survived by his loving wife of sixty years, Maureen, and children Kevin of Kimberton and Lisa Mita of Berwyn, and grandchildren Kevin Jr. and Alex Kray and Colleen and Paul Mita.  He was the son of Anthony and Jean Kray of Jersey City, NJ, and brother Leonard who all predeceased him.

Gene was active in the Chester County Community having lived in West Goshen Township since 1968.  In 1967 he moved from New Jersey to assist in the development of Delaware County Community College where he was the first Dean of Continuing Education.  In 1985 he went to West Chester University where he was appointed Dean of University College.  In his career in education he served as a consultant to numerous colleges, universities, state systems and national testing agencies.  Gene was awarded degrees from St. Peter’s University, Seton Hall University and Nova Southeastern University.  In 1991, Nova University inducted him into their Practitioners Hall of Fame.

He was a life member of the Pennsylvania Association of Adult and Continuing Education (PAACE), having served as President in 1985 and 1986.  In 1988 PAACE recognized him as the “Outstanding Adult Educator of the Year”.  In 1983 he was honored as the “Person of the Year” by the National Council on Community Services and Continuing Education of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges.

Gene was active in the West Chester Lions Club and volunteered at the West Chester Senior Center.  He was President fo the Exton Chamber of Commerce in 1992 and served for many years on the Board of the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry.  He assisted in the development of that organization.

He was an avid saltwater fisherman out of Cape May, NJ and fished in locations such as Bermuda, Cabo San Lucas, Costa Rica, Alaska, Florida and the Great Barrier Reef.  In 1992 he helped in the formation of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Recreational Fishing Alliance and served for three years as the founding chairman.  Gene served for eight years on the MidAtlantic Fisheries Council and for ten years on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission managing fisheries and representing Pennsylvania.

Services are private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the West Chester Lions Club to the attention of Michael G. Louis at 17 West Miner Street, West Chester, PA 19382.