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Mr. Gray

By Clyde Noel / Town Crier Staff Writer

Remembered for his contentious words to residents during his term as mayor of Los Altos, Robert Gray died Oct. 15 at his home in Roseville. He was 79.

He served one term on the Los Altos City Council. Mr. Gray resigned abruptly in 1995 when he announced the family was moving to Roseville. He was the top vote recipient in the 1993 council election receiving support from the Homeowner’s League.

“I got him in politics,” said Tom Anderson, Los Altos resident. “We were looking for someone who was unknown and was fighting against the affordable housing fund called Measure G. We didn’t want the city to be in the housing business.”

Two years after Mr. Gray’s election, the developer’s fee was modified into an “inclusionary zoning ordinance” and collected a percentage from the developers. As mayor, Mr. Gray presented the city’s first housing plan before the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development. The housing plan was recertified last year.

A native of Quincy, Ill., he received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University in 1949 and did graduate work at Northwestern University.

Mr. Gray enjoyed playing golf. He joined the Los Altos Golf and Country Club after he moved to Los Altos in the 1980s.

Mr. Gray worked at Lockheed Missiles/Space Co. for 13 years and then started his own company Gray Associates, which sold international air traffic control systems.

As mayor, Mr. Gray issued public apologies numerous times. He offered one to resident Ruth Polata after a public disagreement over a letter she was reading. When Polata asked Mayor Gray not to interrupt her until she was finished, he said, “Yes, mother,” and then said the letter was obnoxious.

At the next council meeting, Mr. Gray apologized before a standing-room-only crowd and said, “Last week I lapsed. It won’t happen again.”

During his council term, Anderson said Mr. Gray saw an ad for golf at a Del Webb home in Roseville. He moved with several months left on his council term.

He is survived by his wife Marie Delores; children, Michael and Shelian and four grandchildren.