TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE LORING A. GRAY, JR.

TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE LORING A. GRAY, JR.

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 40 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E174-E175] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE LORING A. GRAY, JR. ______ HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, Jr. of georgia in the house of representatives Tuesday, March 3, 2026 Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with profound sorrow to pay tribute to The Honorable Loring A. Gray, Jr., a devoted public servant, a beloved judge, a Navy veteran, and a man whose life was defined by service, compassion, and quiet dignity. A service to celebrate his remarkable life was held on February 28, 2026, at the St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Albany, Georgia. Born at Portsmouth Naval Hospital on June 8, 1947, Loring Gray answered his country's call as a young man, serving aboard the USS Kitty Hawk in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War. He returned home and pursued law, graduating from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1976. From the moment he took the oath of office as an assistant district attorney in Dougherty County, to his decades as a distinguished Superior Court judge--including many years as Chief Judge--Judge Gray exemplified the very best of our justice system: fairness, firmness, and an abiding respect for the human dignity of every person who stood before him. Judge Gray's influence reached far beyond the courtroom. He guided the remodeling of the Dougherty County Courthouse with a steward's care for institutions that bind communities together. He mentored young lawyers, supported the Mock Trial program, and served the broader judiciary as a Senior Judge and Mediator after retirement. Those who knew him recall his formidable presence on the bench balanced by an unexpected and gentle wit--a man who could be exacting in law and tender in life. His devotion to Adoption Days, where he helped give new families legal and spiritual beginnings, revealed a judge whose justice was always married to mercy. He was a faithful member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Albany-- teaching Sunday School, serving as an usher, and serving on the vestry--living the church's call to love and to serve. His life was guided by the Latin motto he cherished, not for yourselves--``Sic vos non vobis.'' That principle shaped everything he did: his law practice, his public service, his friendships, and the hospitality he shared-- from orchestrating UGA tailgate gatherings to welcoming friends at his table. [[Page E175]] Judge Gray was a devoted son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. He was preceded in death by his parents, Loring A. and Virginia Gray, and by his wife, Virginia Looney Gray. He is survived by his son Russell Gray and daughter Liz Gray Barfield, grandchildren Ansley, Will, and Lilia, his siblings and extended family, and a community that benefited from his steady wisdom. Today, we give thanks for a life well lived--a life that taught us that the law is more than statutes and precedent; it is the tender administration of justice with compassion. We mourn his passing, but we also celebrate the countless lives he touched: children placed in loving homes, young lawyers encouraged to do right, courthouse staff steadied by his example, and neighbors across Dougherty County who knew the safety and grace of his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me, my wife, Vivian, and the more than 765,000 people of Georgia's 2nd Congressional District in honoring the memory of Judge Loring A. Gray, Jr.--a man of intellect, integrity, and heart. May his family find comfort in the knowledge that his legacy of service will endure and may we all take inspiration from his life to serve our communities with the same humility and devotion. God bless his memory. ____________________