Chester B. Wray

Chester B. Wray
California State Assemblyman, 71st District
In office 1976–1982
Preceded by	Paul Carpenter
Succeeded by	Doris Allen
Personal details
Born	May 23, 1923(1923-05-23) Searcy, Arkansas
Died	December 28, 2006 (age 82) Rocklin, California
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Mary Hampton Wray (1943-1998) Cleo Wray (2002-2006)
Profession	Auto worker

Chester B. "Chet" Wray represented Orange County in the California State Assembly from 1976 to 1982.

Wray was born May 26, 1923, in Searcy, Arkansas., and before moving his wife Mary & their 4 children to California in 1954, he took classes at the University of Arkansas and later attended UCLA, where Chet studied political science- and discovered “the nack” for politics. The Wrays settled later on in Westminster, Ca, where Chet would work during the day and read books ranging from political influences to historical novels at night.

While working at the GM Plant in South Gate, CA, he was known as quite a “people's person”, built a reputation for shaking hands and always looking out for the “little guy” and later became the President of the United Auto Workers Union Local.

Chet was known as a "good-ol' boy" to most, and first ran for election in 1976 on a grass roots platform, for the 71st Assembly District in Orange County. Running as a Democrat in predominantly Republican Orange County, Chet eked out such a slim victory that he was given the whimsical nickname "Landslide" Wray, after a recount showed his 54-vote victory lessen to just 38 votes.

While in the State Assembly, Wray was known for his extensive work on alternative-energy bills, but also acted as co-chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee. While on the board, Chet pushed for funding for mass transit and attention to a then unknown problem in Orange County- “getting to and from work." Trying to fix simple problems, that would make the working man's life easier.

Wray was known as a good family man, a blue-collar worker, and a proponent of worker's rights. John Pope, a past chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party, said that Wray was “one of the last of a dying breed." In office with Watergate fresh in peoples memory, it was a reassuring having one of the “good guys” up at the State Capitol.

After losing his bid for a third Assembly term, Wray was appointed to the state Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board in 1982 by then Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. and he and Mary moved to Sacramento. The two of them later “semi-retired” to nearby Rocklin, CA and were both very active focusing on issues pertaining to Seniors- from increasing healthcare costs to pension security.

Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease later on in life, Wray was always the fighter, put forth a brave battle with the ailment and died December 28, 2006 at his home in Rocklin, CA

References

• Obit in the LA Times

Persondata
Name	Wray, Chester B.
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	May 23, 1923
Place of birth	Searcy, Arkansas
Date of death	December 28, 2006
Place of death	Rocklin, California