Albion grad and daughter killed in car accident in Oneida County

Darrel Gray played for Albion and coached Adirondack modified football team

Darrel Gray, the modified football coach at Adirondack Central School District, is shown with his daughter Nora. They were both killed in a car accident on Thursday in Oneida County.

A 1992 Albion High School graduate and his daughter were killed in Oneida County on Thursday.

Darrel Gray and his daughter were in a head-on collision at about 7 a.m. with a fully loaded tractor trailer.

The two were on their way to swim practice. They are from West Leyden in Lewis County. The accident occurred in the town of Ava.

Gray was driving an SUV and crossed into the opposite lane, colliding with the tractor-trailer, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office reported.

He and his daughter were both pronounced dead at the scene.

The two have both been very active members of the Adirondack school district, where Gray was the modified football coach and Nora was on the swim team.

Gray stayed connected with many of his Albion classmates and former teammates.

He is survived by his wife Marion and their son Mitchell.

Geno Allport, a local football coach, graduated with Gray in 1992 and played with him on the football team. They would see each other each spring at high school coaching conferences.

Gray was a long-time Seattle Seahawks fan and reveled in their recent Super Bowl victory. But Gray brought his family to Orchard park to see the Bills last Nov. 2. Buffalo won, 28-21, against their nemesis, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Gray was a long-time coach at the Adirondack school.

“He was coaching football for the right reasons,” Allport said. “He loved the kids. He was teaching them life. It wasn’t about the wins and losses.”

Allport said the death of Gray and his daughter is devastating for his friends in Albion, and especially for the Adirondack school community.

“He’s always been a great guy with a great family,” Allport said. “It’s just horrible news.”

Geno Allport, in back, reconnected during a Nov. 2 Buffalo Bills game with Darrel Gray, his wife Marion and their children, Mitchell and Nora.

Photos courtesy of Geno Allport: Darrel Gray, no. 48, warms up with the Albion football team during the Sectional final in 1991 when the team was edged 27-26 by Williamsville South at the former Rich Stadium. Gray was a receiver on the team. Geno Allport bought Gray’s old jersey from the school and sent it to Gray who was thrilled to put it on again.