Long-time Whitley County Treasurer dies at 61

Jeff Gray, who served as Whitley County Treasurer since first taking office in 1999, died early Saturday morning.

In his more than 20 years as treasurer, Gray worked alongside the last three county judge-executives, beginning with Mike Patrick and most recently with Pat White Jr., who is the current judge-executive.

During his time working for the county, Gray played an instrumental role in avoiding a potential shutdown of the county government and creating a spending plan that prevented the state from taking over operation of the county government in the mid-2000s.

Gray was planning to retire from office as treasurer this year.

In addition to his service as the county treasurer, in 2008, Gray was elected to serve as one of the board of directors on the inaugural Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, which soon merged with the Corbin Chamber of Commerce to form the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce that is still currently active.

Gray was also a Kentucky Colonel and a member of the Masonic Lodge F & M 490. He used his degree in fire and safety that he obtained from Eastern Kentucky University to play an active role in developmental education of local fire departments, emergency response and 911.

Private services will be held for family at a later date.