Gordon Gray

February 8, 1925 - August 6, 2015 Gordon passed away peacefully at his Glendale home after a long illness. Born and raised in San Francisco CA, he graduated from Polytechnic High School where he played basketball and football and was named to the All City football team. With WWII looming, he joined the Navy and attended USC under the V-12 program. A natural athlete, Gordon played football at USC where he received All Coast and All American recognition. Dubbed "the Gray Ghost", he played in three Rose Bowl games and caught touchdown passes in both games USC won. After returning from active duty, Gordon graduated with honors in 1948. He was a member of Skull & Dagger, Blue Key, Phi Alpha Theta and Sigma Phi Epsilon. Gordon had a long and successful career as an insurance broker, first as a partner with the David X. Marks Co. and later as Managing Director at Marsh and McLennon Inc. the world's largest insurance brokerage. Throughout his career, Gordon stayed active in USC affairs. He served on and chaired many boards and committees including the Alumni Association, the Half Century Trojans, and the President's Convocation Committee. Gordon was an effective community leader and was involved with and honored by many business and civic organizations. He served on the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Committee and the 1991 Olympic Festival. He was Vice Chairman of the Los Angeles County Commission on Local Governmental Service. His interest in national security issues led him to long service in the Defense Orientation Conference Association where he was president and chairman. In 2004 he was elected to the National Defense University Foundation board. Gordon's first wife Miriam Franz Gray predeceased him in 2000. He is survived by his wife Patricia, his sons Gordon Jr (Jeanne) and Richard Allyn (Marjorie) his grandson Richard Allyn Jr (Wendy) and granddaughter Sarah. Services will be private with a celebration of life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Half Century Trojan Scholarship fund (http://halfcenturytrojans.usc.edu/scholarships/ )