GREENFIELD — Those closest to Brad Gray remember him for his love of people and generous heart, whether that meant giving away a car to someone in need or sponsoring an orphanage overseas.
Gray, who owned Gray Auto Sales in Greenfield, died Feb. 9 in Monticello, Kentucky. He was 58. Gray’s friends and family honored his life earlier this week at his funeral. He is survived by his wife, Michelle, and children: Brinton, Brandon, Dustin, Rachael, Sydney and their spouses.
One of Gray’s best friends and business partner with the midget car racing team Petry Motorsports, Scott Petry, said he’s “heartbroken” from the loss of his “brother from another mother.” Petry spoke to the Daily Reporter from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he’s spending the weekend at the Chili Bowl Nationals, the first major racing event of the year.
“He was supposed to come out with me this week, so that made it a little tough to come,” Petry said.
Drivers and midget racing enthusiasts from across the country have been approaching Petry since he arrived in Tulsa a few days ago and offering their condolences for Gray’s death. He said Gray not only made a lasting impact on the midget racing industry, but on many people in his hometown.
“Greenfield lost a great leader,” Petry said. “He was a silent one, but he was a great one.”
Petry said he’s seen Gray give away cars to people who were struggling financially, making car payments for customers or fixing a vehicles at no cost. He praised Gray’s integrity as a person.
“He gave away, he gave away,” Petry said. “If there was ever something in town and involved people, he was all for it. He would give you the shirt off his back.”
Gray also did that for Petry Motorsports. Petry said his friend put a lot of time and effort into the team. The two of them built up the motorsports team to one of the top midget racing teams in the nation.
“My cars will forever say Gray Auto somewhere on them, just because of my love for Brad, his boys and the whole family,” Petry said. “He’s an example for everybody. Sometimes, we worry about who our friends and enemies are, and he didn’t have any.”
Gray also spent much of his time serving at his church, Brandywine Community Church in Greenfield. He was a former elder there, his obituary reads, and Gray participated in multiple mission trips.
Max Wright, the field representative in Haiti for the Greenfield-based ministry organization World Renewal International, traveled to the Caribbean country with Gray on multiple occasions.
During one trip in particular, Wright said, an orphanage in a neighborhood had to close due to lack of funding. World Renewal wanted to create a new orphanage in its place. After seeing the children lose a home, Gray decided to give “liberally” toward creating a new Haitian orphanage, Wright said.
“In the past I’ve had four or five people who have been extremely generous,” Wright said, “and Brad was extremely generous. It’s kept that orphanage alive.”
Another time in Haiti, Wright said he remembers sitting under a mango tree with Gray when a little girl in the village approached them. Gray was eating a lollipop, and she took notice, so he motioned her over to sit on his lap. He gave her another lollipop — a piece of candy the 2-year-old had never seen before.
“The care and the compassion, he didn’t rip the paper and stick it in her mouth,” Wright said. “He just carefully did that, showed her how to do that — just a lot of love there.”
Wright said Gray loved people and always offered prayer and encouragement.
“If somebody needed to be prayed, he didn’t say ‘I’ll pray for you’; he prayed for them right then,” Wright said. “It didn’t make a difference where you were at, he just saw that as a great opportunity.”
Gray had a “heart of gold,” Wright added.
“He also was my friend,” Wright said, “and I miss him so much.”
