Cary T. Grayson Jr.

LANDGROVE - Cary T. Grayson Jr., 89, died March 15, 2009, on Sanibel Island, Fla., where he was wintering.

He was born March 21, 1919, in Washington, D.C., the son of Alice Gertrude Gordon and Rear Admiral Cary T. Grayson.

He graduated in 1937 from St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., where he won the Robert Rice Award as the top athlete, and from Yale University. He later earned an M.A. at Stanford University in 1949 and a Ph.D. from The Geneva (Switzerland) School of Diplomacy and International Relations in 1954.

Mr. Grayson served in the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during World War II, including the battle of Iwo Jima.

He worked for Carnegie Corp. in New York City and was later employed by the U.S. State Department and the Peace Corps in Washington, D.C. He founded Potomac Books Inc. and in Upperville, Va., he was active in the thoroughbred horse business.

He served on the boards of The Woodrow Wilson House in Washington, D.C., and the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton, Va.

Mr. Grayson enjoyed traveling, history, literature, politics and sports. He wrote history articles published in American Heritage and Atlantic Monthly, as well as the publication of his father's memoirs of President Wilson, "An Intimate Memoir." He was also editor of American Panorama, published by Carnegie Corp. in 1957.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Priscilla Roessle Grayson; four daughters, Leslie Grayson, Carinthia Grayson, Alicia Grayson and Theodosia Grayson; six grandchildren; two nephews and a niece; five grandnieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by two brothers, J. Gordon Grayson and William Grayson.

The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Upperville, Va.

Another memorial service will be held Saturday, June 20, in Landgrove.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, PO Box 24, Staunton, VA 24402.

View the guest book at www.rutlandherald.com/ obits.