The College of William & Mary is honoring former Virginia delegate and college professor George Grayson with a program of remembrance Friday.
Grayson died March 4 after suffering a heart attack.
William & Mary’s Department of Government is sponsoring the event, which will recall Grayson’s 44 years of service at the college and 27 years as a member of Virginia’s House of Delegates.
Grayson, a Democrat, represented the Williamsburg area during his time in the House of Delegates. He was first elected to the chamber in 1973 and retired in 2001.
During his time in the House, Grayson represented the 97th district, which no longer includes the Historic Triangle. The region is currently split between the 93rd and 96th districts.
Grayson launched a bid for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982 to replace Paul S. Trible Jr., but withdrew from the race before the election.
He was a member of William & Mary’s faculty as the class of 1938 Professor of Government, and was an expert on the War on Drugs and Mexico. Grayson retired in 2012.
Former colleagues in Richmond and Williamsburg have spoken positively of Grayson since his death.
“Although nationally renowned for his expertise on Latin America, George had an extraordinary knowledge of the rich history of our area, a perspective that was on frequent display during his service in the House,” state Sen. Tommy Norment (R-3) said in a news release.
Del. Monty Mason, who studied at William & Mary under Grayson, said Williamsburg had “lost a fighter for the region.”
“He pushed me hard as a professor and offered me counsel as a member of the House of Delegates,” Mason said in a news release. “The area was lucky to have him working for us for so many years and he will be missed.”
William & Mary President Taylor Reveley said the William & Mary community would miss Grayson’s presence.
“Professor Grayson was a widely recognized and deeply respected teacher and scholar,” Reveley said in a statement. “When it came to Mexico and Latin America, he was the oracle for countless national and international publications, as well as network broadcasts. He also served with distinction as a delegate in Virginia’s General Assembly. George lived life with style and wit. All of us at William & Mary will miss him tremendously.”
The program is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Friday in the Brinkley Commons of Alan B. Miller Hall, and is open to the public.
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