Charles E. Gray, 99, died on September 17, 2025 in Springfield, Missouri. Charles was born in Springfield, Missouri on September 8, 1926, the son of Charles E. Gray Sr. and Leona (Joslin) Gray. He was the great grandson of Elijah and Annie Gray who were pioneer settlers of Springfield in 1840.

Charles attended the Springfield public schools, graduating from Senior High School with the class of 1944. He served in a U.S. Navy band during World War II, including 15 months in the Mediterranean area. After Navy discharge he returned to Springfield and continued his education at Southwest Missouri State College. In college he became a history major and served as the first Sage of the Alpha Rho Chapter of the Sigma Pi Fraternity.

On July 18, 1949, Charles E. Gray and Betty Jean Mosler were married and they moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas. At the University of Arkansas Charles earned a Master's Degree and launched his career as a historian and teacher of history.

In 1951Charles and Betty returned to Springfield where he taught history at Central and Parkview High Schools and at Drury College and Southwest Missouri State College. He served as History Department chairman at both Central and Parkview and was a founding member of the Association of Classroom Teachers of Springfield (ACTS). During that period, he was active in the founding of the National Avenue Christian Church, where he became a Deacon. Charles and Betty's two children were born in Springfield -Judith Ann in 1953 and Charles Andrew in 1956.

In 1959 the family moved to Bloomington-Normal, Illinois where Charles joined the faculty of Illinois State University-and later earned a doctorate from the University of Illinois. At Illinois State, Charles served on the design committee for a new Laboratory High School, the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate, and was founding Director of the History Teacher Education Program. As a historian and teacher educator he had publications and research in both history and education.

One of his most satisfying historical projects was a series of articles about the Gray family and the building of the Gray/Campbell House, which were published in 1986 in Springfield Magazine! He remained on the Illinois State University faculty for 27 years -retiring as Professor of History emeritus in 1986.

Charles and Betty returned to Springfield in 1990. They found their ideal retirement home in the Old Southern Hills neighborhood bordering the Springfield Conservation Nature Center. They were able to renew many old friendships upon their return to the "hometown".

Charles enjoyed the outdoors and was deeply concerned about the environment. He spent many days camping with family, floating Ozarks rivers with friends and walking streams in search of small mouth bass. He was a serious table tennis player, a devotee of symphonic, concert band and jazz music and was always interested in things historical, political and philosophical. He held memberships in a number of fraternal, educational and historical organizations.

During his lifetime Charles was affiliated with several churches and religious organizations. He grew up in the Methodist church and matured in the Christian (Disciples) Church, the Congregational Church and the Campus Religious Center of Illinois State University. He gained insights and inspiration from the ethical teachings of the historical Jesus of Nazareth and Gautama Buddha. Charles ended life as a Humanist in the Unitarian Universalist church.

Charles was preceded in death by his wife Betty in 2014, and his brother James P. Gray in 2024. He is survived by a daughter, Judith Ann Gray and her husband Douglas Cotter of Glendale, Arizona, a son, Charles Andrew Gray of West Chicago, Illinois; three grandchildren: Shawn, Jacqueline and Joel; and four great grandchildren: Alyssa, Ashton, Christopher and Sophia.

No public service is planned. Inscribed on Niche No. 447 of the Columbarium Wall at the Springfield Missouri Veteran's Cemetery are the following names: CHARLES E. GRAY and BETTY JEAN (MOSLER) GRAY.