George Washington Gray, Jr. was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, October 5, 1911. He is the last living member of a nuclear family that included his father, George Washington Gray, Sr. ( a Baptist minister), his mother Hattie Thomas Gray, two sisters, Mattie and Julia and two brothers, Clyde and John.
While attending Morehouse College, Mr. Gray met Juanita Yvonne Ross, a student attending Clark College in Atlanta. Doctors advised Mr. Gray to seek a “high and dry” climate to avoid further complications. In 1944, Mr. Gray traveled west to determine whether he should live in Denver or Phoenix. Intending to investigate living conditions in Denver and Phoenix, Mr. Gray traveled first to Denver where he stayed at the East Denver Branch YMCA. After two weeks, Mr. Gray so loved the climate and the personality of Denver, he immediately made plans to relocate his family to the Mile High City. He never made it to Phoenix.
After moving to Denver, in September of 1945, life blessed Mr. and Mrs. Gray with the birth of their natural child, Skipper – a.k.a. George, the III. Over the course of the first twenty-five years in Denver, Mr. and Mrs. Gray added 23 children to their family: one they adopted; the others they parented through the Forster Parent Program in Denver. Mr. and Mrs. Gray particularly desired to parent young African-American male children. They knew the rite of passage from child to adult, boy to man; African-American man-child to African-American adult male is ill defined and fraught with peril. They knew that African-American men receive less that an even break from contemporary American society.
After 35 years, Mr. Gray retired from his job as a Mail Handler for the United States Post Office and began to devote his spare time to various civic and charitable causes. Over the years, Mr. Gray has participated in the Five Points in; Business Association, the Wallace Simpson Post of the American Legion, Prince Hall Rocky Mountain Lodge Number one and Scott United Methodist Church – Mr. Gray’s church home for nearly 60 years.
Mr. Gray has achieved the highest rank a Mason can hold – a Thirty-Third Degree Mason and is a Past Master of his Grand Lodge. Mr. Gray’s personal achievement aside, the Denver Area Prince Hall Lodges have hosted and celebrated their Annual Father and Son Communion Breakfast. Mr. Gray conceived the idea for his event in 1959, over 45 years ago. His idea was to have a yearly forum for men and boys to come together for a hearty traditional southern-style breakfast (ham and eggs, grits and biscuits, coffee and juice), music, praise, recognition and spiritual uplift.
Mr. Gray is truly supportive of senior causes, although he is not certain at what age one becomes a senior. Mr. Gray enthusiastically supports one type of function that seniors particularly enjoy – dancing. Mr. Gray dances monthly at the Denver Art Museum and nightly somewhere in this City. Mr. Gray dances at least three or four nights a week and more if the opportunity presents itself. Mr. Gray finds dance partners of all ages, colors and nationalities. Sometimes Mr. Gray finds himself mistaken for a senior citizen, after all chronologically, he was 93 years young October 5, 2004. When that happens, Mr. Gray, though never boastful, is quick to explain that seniors are those who have to sit down after one dance whereas, he, on the other hand, dances every dance from the moment he arrives until the band stops playing.
Every year, the Wallace Simpson Post of the American Legion finically sponsors boys for State competition at Boys State in Pueblo, Colorado, and even Regional and National competition should the boys be so fortunate as to find themselves competing at those levels. Who takes the Boys State application to Denver and Aurora high schools? Who personally talks with principals and counselors and asks for help in identifying boys who might have the interest and talent in Mr. Gray’s words “to go all the way?” Who selects the boys from among a list of applications? Who contacts the boys and their parents to explain the opportunity, the expectations and to encourage participation? Who arranges transportation to Pueblo for participants if they need help? Who will see to it that all necessary arrangements are made to get these boys to the regional meet in Kansas and to the national competition in Washington, D.C.? You guessed it! Mr. Gray, Boys State Committee Chairman and Past Commander of the Wallace Simpson Post of the American Legion.
The Five Points Business Association (Otha Rice and “Big Al” Richardson) founded the Junteenth celebration (a celebration of the emancipation of slaves). Each year, Mr. Gray is one of the many volunteers who work tirelessly all year long to ensure a smooth and successful event. During the event, thanks to Mr. Gray’s leadership, the Wallace Simpson Post of the American Legion sponsors a hospitality center for the volunteers, including members of “Denver’s finest,” the Denver Police Department. Mr. Gray insists on giving a hearty thank you to those whose labor often goes unrecognized either because they are not the notables to whom credit often is given because they were simply doing their job. In addition, Mr. Gray and his post treat everyone to a City Park summer picnic at the site of the DPD Gang Unit. Who benefits from a smooth uneventful celebration of the emancipation of slaves? Everyone. Not just the Denver and Colorado community of African-Americans. Everyone.
As Commander of the Wallace Simpson American Legion, Mr. Gray has carried the American flag and together with the other members of the color guard led the tens of thousands of marchers to their destination in the Martin Luther King Annual Murade. Moreover, one cannot throw a party if no one comes and no one knows that better than Mr. Gray does. Each year, during the months of January and February, Mr. Gray attends and supports all of the various community functions sponsored by the MLK Commission as well as numerous African-American awareness month events sponsored by various government, civic and community organizations. Mr. Gray is truly an unsung hero. Mr. Gray exemplifies what it means to be a citizen; and his life challenges each of us to give something back to our community.
Mr. Gray will be honored at the 1st Annual Commanders of the Rite Spring Banquet at 6:00 P.M. on Saturday, May 7, 2005 at the Park Hill Golf Club Restaurant, 4141 East 35th Avenue, Denver, Colorado.
Tickets can be purchased or additional information obtained by calling the Caldwell-Kirk Mortuary at 303-861-4644.