Brooklyn, NY – Ishpeming native Dr. Adam A. Gray, age 32, of Brooklyn, NY passed away in the Emergency Room at 1:49pm on Sunday, June 14, 2015 at the NYU Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Adam was born September 4, 1982 in Ishpeming, MI the son of Larry S. and the late Anna E. (Laksonen) Gray. He grew up in Ishpeming and was a graduate of the Ishpeming High School, Class of 2000. Adam continued his education at Northern Michigan University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education and English graduating magna cum laude in 2004. While at Northern he was a member of the Sigma tau Delta Literary Honor Society and the Golden Key International Honor Society.

His first teaching job was in Gallup, NM at the Gallup McKinley Public Schools where he was an English Teacher from Oct. 2005 – Aug. 2006. Adam returned to the Upper Peninsula and taught High School English at the Lake Linden – Hubbell Public Schools from Aug. 2006 – Aug. 2009. During this time Adam pursued his Master of Arts (MA) degree in English and Pedagogy which he received in 2010 from NMU, where he had worked as a teaching assistant in the English Dept. Adam went on to work at MTU as a graduate teaching instructor and graduate administrator of the Multiliteracies Center at MTU, from August 2010 – July of 2013. He received his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), in Rhetoric and Technical Communication in 2013 and had received the King Chavez Parks Future Faculty Fellowship (PhD) during this time. For the past two years Adam has been employed by the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, New York as Associate Director of the Writing Studio and Assistant Professor, where his research focused on identity, writing center studies, workplace communication and diversity.

Adam was a member of the International, European, Midwest and Northeast Writing Center Associations, National Council for Teachers of English and the National Writing Project. He enjoyed Arts and Culture, music, having been involved with various music groups, baseball, supporting the Detroit Tigers and Education with a special passion for writing. He truly had an impact on the lives of his students and friends, and his family acknowledges the outpouring of love and support they have received from them during their time of grief and sorrow.

Survivors include his father Larry S. Gray of Ishpeming, two sisters – Heather Gray of Ishpeming and Samantha (Caleb) Scanlon of Ishpeming, as well as his niece and nephews – Alyssa Gray, Hunter Gray and Frederik Tuttle, paternal grandparents Beverly and George Gray of New Port Richey, and many uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother Anna Gray along with his maternal grandparents.

The family will greet relatives and friends from 4 until 6pm on Friday, June 19, 2015 at the Bjork & Zhulkie Funeral Home in Ishpeming, MI A celebration of Adam's life will the begin at 6:00pm on Friday at the Bjork & Zhulkie Funeral Home with Earl Brogan to officiate.

Adam's obituary may also be viewed at bjorkandzhulkie.com where relatives and friends may leave a note of remembrance.