Dear La Salle Community,

Today, I am very saddened to share that former La Salle College Preparatory President, Dr. Richard Gray, passed away on Saturday, October 9, 2021. Dr. Gray served La Salle for over 20 years, laying a strong foundation for academic and co-curricular success, and spearheading invaluable development opportunities that provided greater access to a quality Lasallian education for students across the San Gabriel Valley region. The legacy he leaves behind is one that I am honored to build upon and one that I know continues to have a lasting impact on our entire community.

Dr. Gray was selected as the third president of La Salle College Preparatory and began his tenure leading the school in March 1999. During his leadership of La Salle, he worked to ensure our Lasallian Five Core Principles guided his decision making. Dr. Gray led countless student-centered initiatives in all areas of the school. The San Miguel Scholarship was a key priority he helped launch as a means to make a Lasallian education possible for low-income families. During his tenure, over 130 San Miguel Scholars graduated from La Salle and went on to colleges and universities across the country. As well, Dr. Gray oversaw the planning and construction of Kohorst Field and the Blakeslee Learning Commons. His passion to bring cultural diversity to the school resulted in the Global Program. To support the mission of the school, he developed the Board of Regents, which in turn created both the Speech and Debate and Merit Scholar Programs. He also led several other fundraising initiatives that propelled La Salle’s reputation in the community as the school of choice in the San Gabriel Valley.

I ask for your continued prayers for Dr. Gray and his loved ones. His presence among our school community will be dearly missed and we will be forever grateful for the sacrifices and love he provided our students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff.

All school leaders pour their lives into the mission of their schools. Dr. Gray’s efforts made La Salle College Preparatory the best it could be. St. John Baptist de La Salle once said, “To be entrusted with the teaching of the young is a great gift and grace of God”. La Salle College Preparatory was entrusted in Dr. Gray’s care for over two decades, and his service, love, and leadership of La Salle were indeed great gifts and the grace of God.

We pray that eternal rest be granted to Dr. Gray during this time of mourning and sorrow.

Sincerely,

Perry Martin, M.Ed.
School President