Postal Service Dedicates Building for Kenneth James Gray

Honors Former Congressman and Life-Long Advocate for Southern Illinois

WEST FRANKFORT, IL  — The West Frankfort , Illinois, Post Office building was renamed today in honor of Congressman Kenneth James Gray.

In a ceremony held this afternoon in “Old Firehouse” Event Center, the Postal Service named the West Frankfort Post Office building as the Kenneth James Gray Post Office Building.   Postmaster Jennifer Owen, Post Office Operations Manager Michael Kervin, Congressman Jerry Costello, and Street Commissioner Frank Browning paid tribute to the public servant and advocate for Southern Illinois.

Recognizing Gray’s accomplishments, Kervin said, “The rededication of the West Frankfort Post Office building is a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated his life to public service.”

Congressman Jerry Costello introduced legislation on January 3, 2008, to designate the Post Office located at 219 E. Main St., as the Kenneth James Gray Post Office Building.  The legislation was signed into Public Law by President Bush on August 12, 2008. 

After serving his country during World War II in North Africa, Italy, southern France and central Europe, Gray started his political career in 1954 as a freshman member of the 84th Congress where he served 10 successive terms. He did not run for reelection in 1974 but ran again, and won, in 1984.  He served another two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.