Ennis Gray

Ennis Gray, 95, of Carmel, passed away on Thursday January 17, 2019. He was born on April 6, 1923 in New York, NY to the late Walter Angus Gray and Sarah Ennis Gray. Ennis was one of the leading American sprinters of his generation, and starred in the mile relay and 440 high hurdles for the Fordham University track team both before and after World War Two. He enlisted in the Army immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and spent over three years with the Third Division (7th Infantry Battalion) in the European Theater of operations, joining the army in Tunisia in 1942, and finishing the war as part of the American forces occupying post war Germany. Just before the end of the war, Ennis was part of a group of 7th Infantry soldiers who captured (without significant resistance) the town of Berchtesgaden, home to the infamous mountain retreat of Adolf Hitler. He was proud to have served his country with the Third Division, which saw more significant combat and captured more territory than any other Allied Division in the war.

After the war Ennis returned to Fordham, where he graduated as a member of the class of 1948. Ennis had a long and successful career in food and beverage sales with several different companies, including General Foods, Morton Frozen Foods, and National Distillers. He finished his career working for and closely with Ed Kelly, for whom the Indiana University School of Business would later be named. In retirement, Ennis was a fixture for thirty plus years at Woodland Country Club, where he enjoyed almost daily games of golf and camaraderie with his friends and fellow members in most sorts of weather and almost any time of year. He was pleased and proud to be inducted to the Fordham Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996.

Ennis is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Kathleen; children, Dennis (Aiko), Karen, James, and Timothy (Donna) Gray; and seven grandchildren. He is preceded in passing by his brother, Walter Angus Gray Jr.

Friends and family are invited to gather from 2:00 to 4:00 on Thursday, January 24th, 2019 at Flanner Buchanan – Carmel, 325 E. Carmel Dr., Carmel, IN 46032, where a funeral service will begin at 4:00. Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army.