Richard E. "Dick" Gray

Richard E. “Dick” Gray, age 90, of Salem Twp., Westmoreland County, passed away on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at UPMC Shadyside in Pittsburgh.

Richard was born December 12, 1934, in North Braddock to the late Paul and late Theresa (O’Hara) Gray.

Richard “Dick” Gray, P.G., Dist.M.SME, Hon.M.AEG, Hon.BC.GE, Dist.M.ASCE graduated from St. Thomas High School in Braddock, PA. He received an undergraduate degree in 1956 from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh (then called “Carnegie Tech”). Dick Gray along with classmate Tony DiGioia were chosen by their CMU professor, Elio D’Appolonia to join his firm after graduation.  In April 1957, Dick began a six-month assignment as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He then went on to take courses at MIT in Boston during the summers of 1958 and 1959. While at MIT, Dick was fortunate to be exposed to the world’s leading practitioners in soil mechanics and foundation engineers (Professors Terzaghi, Casagrande, Peck among others).

Dick with his classmate, CMU Lab partner and friend Dr. Anthony DiGioia, Jr went on to co-found the firm of General Analytics, which later became GAI Consultants.  Dick retired from GAI at the age of 70, after the firm had grown to over 600 employees where he and Tony earned a reputation as BRILLIANT ENGINEERS, excellent leaders and generous employers. 

Dick and Tony felt they still had so much to contribute to the Engineering world.  They decided to “consult” joining together once again to establish DiGioia Gray and Associates, an engineering firm that grew to more than 125 employees before recently becoming part of the larger firm, Gannett Fleming.  Dick and Tony firmly believed in encouraging and supporting the next generation of engineers, so they established the DiGioia Gray Scholarship at Carnegie Mellon University.

In his firms he cared deeply about the many people that he interacted with and the younger people that he mentored.  His services to the professions of engineering geology, geotechnical engineering and mine subsidence detection and control were world renowned. Those professionals that he trained and had an impact on will certainly carry Dick’s legacy forward. Clearly the next generation will benefit from Richard E. Gray’s countless contributions.

Dick was predeceased by his beloved wife and best friend Audrey Gray and shared a wonderful life together of 47 years. Dick met Audrey at the Pittsburgh firm of GAI Consultants. Over their many years together Dick and Audrey were able to travel extensively exploring 47 different countries on personal and Dick’s professional trips.  In the professional society functions held all over the country and worldwide, where one saw Dick, Audrey was almost always by his side.

Dick was the loving father of Wendy (Jim) Sherer of Pittsburgh, the late Raymond (surviving spouse, Patti) Dripps III, North Carolina, late Dana Dripps and the late Diane (late Tom) Sullivan, Pennsylvania. He was the cherished grandfather of Meghan Kowalski of Irwin and Stephen Kowalski of Export also Russell Dripps of North Carolina, the late Raymond Dripps IV, Ben Sullivan of Mansfield, and the late Joshua Sullivan. He was the proud great-grandfather of Maddox Oskey of Irwin.

Dick was also preceded in death by his sister, Mary Elizabeth “Betty” (late James) Byrnes and brother Paul J. (surviving spouse, Judy) Gray.

He was the uncle of Daniel Gray Rodgers and David Gray Rodgers (April), Dorothy (David) Coppit, the late James Byrnes and the late Jeremy Gray Rodgers.

He is also survived by his treasured dog, Barney.

Dick was the recipient of countless awards, too numerous to list.  Two awards that were close to his heart were receiving the Alumni Achievement Award (2010), Carnegie Mellon University and the Distinguished Alumnus Award, Carnegie Mellon University Civil and Environmental Engineering Department (2016). Dick was a prolific and distinguished writer contributing over 95 publications in print. His efforts include leading the writing team in producing “The Geology of Pittsburgh” for AEG Cities of the world series, the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists of which Dick was a past president and member for over 50 years.  Dick never met a rock he didn’t like.

In collaboration with his close friend and colleague Terry R. West, the two established the West–Gray Scholarship that provides funding for students in the environmental and engineering geology fields in the eastern portion of the United States to further their studies. Both Terry and Dick Gray have sustained this important AEG Foundation Scholarship for many years and numerous college and university students have benefitted from it.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The West-Gray Scholarship fund. https://aegfoundation.org/ or please make your memorial donations to your local no-kill animal shelter in his name.

All are welcome on Wednesday, July 2, from 1-7pm at Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., Turtle Creek / Monroeville Chapel, 1111 Monroeville Ave., Turtle Creek, 412-823-9350.

Mass of Christian Burial will be in St. Maurice Church (St. Joseph the Worker Parish) on Thursday at 10 a.m.

Dick will be laid to rest in Braddock Catholic Cemetery.