George Grayson, a longtime representative of the Historic Triangle in the House of Delegates and a retired College of William & Mary professor, died today at age 76 of an apparent heart attack.
Grayson, a Democrat, represented the area in the House for 27 years. He was first elected in 1973, and he left office in 2001. His time as a delegate was interrupted in 1982 when he started a congressional campaign, however he was re-elected to the House of Delegates in 1983.
He served as a professor at William & Mary until his retirement in 2012. During his career, he authored numerous books focusing on the War on Drugs and security concerns in Mexico.
He last served as the delegate for the 97th District, which no longer includes the Historic Triangle. The area is now encompassed by the 93rd and 96th districts.
Grayson was also a senior associate at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, an associate scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a board member of the Center for Immigration Studies and a lifetime member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, according to his website.
His William & Mary website lists him as a frequent collaborator with National Public Radio and CNN, and articles he authored have appeared in more than a dozen publications.
“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.
Norment said Grayson was a “champion for mental health” with whom he worked on behalf of Eastern State Hospital. He also said Grayson “understood the vital importance of tourism to our region” and that he “worked tirelessly to advance Virginia’s commitment to promoting the Historic Triangle.”
Del. Monty Mason (D-93) said in a statement that “our area 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. The area was lucky to have him working for us for so many years and he will be missed,” Mason said. “When I asked for his advice he would always focus on constituent services. He was happy to debate the issues of the day, but he always said nothing was more important than helping the people that sent you to Richmond with things that they need.”
William & Mary President Taylor Reveley said the college is “very sad” to learn of Grayson’s death.
“Professor Grayson was a widely recognized and deeply respected teacher and scholar,” Reveley said. “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 James City County Democrats issued a statement Wednesday extending sympathy to Grayson’s family.
“George was a respected member of our community for many decades and we are immensely grateful for his contributions to our work as Democrats,” the statement read.
