02/27/2026
Bobby Harold Gray, age 84, of Viper, KY, departed this life on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at his residence. He was born on January 2, 1942, at the Blue Diamond Coal Camp Community at Westbourne, Campbell County, TN, to the late Clyde and the late Mary Morris Gray. In 1952 his family became long tern residents of the Blue Diamond Coal Company Community of Leatherwood, KY before his parents retirement in 1983 to LaFollette, TN. As a teenager Bobby accepted the Lord as his Savior and became a member of the First Baptist Church of the Leatherwood Coal Camp. Later in life he became a member and deacon of The First Baptist Church of Welch, WV.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his soulmate of 18 years, Jo Ann Asher and prior to that his wife Carol B. Gray. Also, his brother, Jimmy Gray; sister, Janice Gray Powers; nephew, Kenneth Pennington & niece: Glenna Wilson.
Bobby is survived by his son: John Christopher Gray of Williamson, WV; Sister-In-Law: Opal Gray of LaFollette, TN; One Nephew: James S. Gray (Angelia) along with grand-nieces and nephews: Morgan & Jadeyn Gray, Scott Wilson, Emily Wilson, Seth Wilson and Adam Hill.
All of Bobby's boyhood days from birth to heading off to college were in three Blue Diamond Coal Camp Communities. The last one was for his Jr and Sr years of school at the mining operation and community of Leatherwood, KY. Bobby always had a goal to become an Engineer. In 1959, Bobby was awarded the Blue Diamond Coal Company Bonnyman Scholarship for a full ride to the University of Kentucky where he received his bachelor's in engineering in Mining (1963), and Structural (1965).
Out of college in 1965 he accepted a job to the fulfill his military obligation with the US Army Corp of Engineering as a Research Engineer for Deep Underground Defense Structures. He worked eight years at the Army Research Center at the University of Illinois. Then in 1973, a job opportunity came available to move from cold winters of Champaign, IL to Hilton Head Island, SC. Bobby joined the Sea Pines Company as a Director of Land Development for several Coastal Islands. After four years with the Sea Pines Company the opportunity to get back to his first love of the coal industry was with the A.T. Massey Coal Company. For the next fourteen years was with the A.T. Massey Coal Company in Key Coal Mining management positions in Southern West Virginia. In 1990, he joined the International Investment Group of AMCI he worked as an Operation Manager and Special Consultant on Mining Projects within the USA, Europe and South America. After 30 years with AMCI in a full-time effort he started in 2020 a phase out and finally calling it quits in 2024. So, after almost 60 years of Professional Engineering efforts and with the moral support from his son Chris he began looking at full-time retirement. It should be noted that Bobby's work efforts started at a very early age. At 12 years of age Bobby had a Newspaper Route and at the age of 16 he started working part-time at the Company Store. Then at the age of 18 he worked summers at the Company Coal Lab and at the age of 20 he worked summers underground conducting equipment time studies.
Over the years Bobby was into several activities such as Golf, Tennis, Reading, Bridge, Rook, Sudoku and Boating. During his time working with AMCI he saw the world as he traveled out of the country on over 125 Oversea Business trips.
