Phillip Andrew Gray

Phillip Andrew "Phil" Gray, an award-winning former sportswriter for the Chillicothe Gazette, left this life on January 14, 2020 to reunite with his beloved dog Elwood, his best friend Scott and numerous family members that have preceded him on their journey. He was born on March 10, 1975 to Phyllis and Karl Gray. Phil grew up in Jodie, West Virginia - a small community nestled among the mountains that tower above a wide and calm stretch of the Gauley River. He spent his youth playing in the crystal waters of Summersville Lake, collecting baseball cards, precisely posing his impressive collection of Star Wars action figures, mastering Atari classics and watching The Dukes of Hazzard. As Phil grew from a boy and into his teens, he loved to crank out AC/DC and KISS anthems from the stereo in his red convertible as he blistered the road of a truly wild and wonderful youth. He followed those roads to Chatham, Virginia where he attended Hargrave Military Academy. It was here that the teen grew into a man, and that man wielded a ferocious fastball as a pitcher for the Hargrave baseball team. Phil went on to attend Potomac State College of West Virginia in Keyser and West Virginia University in Morgantown. It was during college that Phil fully launched his outstanding career in sports journalism. Phil was a gifted writer and spun rich descriptions of a variety of sports and the myriad of personalities he encountered along the way. He covered every imaginable sport in almost every imaginable place - from the most desolate and dusty countryside gymnasiums to the most lush and crisp baseball diamonds. It was around the baseball field that Phil's light burned brightest. Baseball was his passion and the ballpark was his temple. Phil moved on from journalism to a career in the front office of a minor league baseball team, where he reveled in daily routine of life around the team and the sights and sounds of the stadium. Any discussion of Phil would not be complete without acknowledging he was a fantastic chef and baker. He was a master of the smoker, a genius with cheese and just a plain show-off when it came to his artisanal breads. Phil was an unassuming, funny and humble man. He was also incredibly complex. Behind the shock of black hair and frequently grizzly beard, were the soft brown eyes of a truly gentle soul. He was contemplative, intelligent and mindful of the words he spoke. And above all, he was good. He was good at being the cause for your smile, the supportive shoulder and the gracious confidante. He was a good son, nephew, cousin and friend. He was a good man with a good heart who will be missed by the many who loved him.