GORDON GRAY TRIBUTE

Tribute to Gordon Gray, cofounder of and first president of La Jolla Club, delivered by President Russell King, August 19, 2025.

Today, we gather not only to remember a man, but to celebrate a
legacy—a legacy that helped shape the very spirit of service and
community we cherish in Rotary. Gordon Gray was born on
August 20, 1877, on a quiet farm in Southwestern Michigan.
One hundred and forty-eight years ago, a life began that would
go on to leave an indelible mark on San Diego, La Jolla, and
Rotary International.

As a boy growing up in Niles, Michigan, Gordon’s world
expanded early. A formative journey through Scandinavia,
Russia, and Central Europe opened his eyes to the broader
human experience—an experience that would later inform his
deep commitment to international fellowship and civic
engagement.

After graduating from high school, Gordon headed east to
Harvard Law School, earning his degree in 1900. By 1903, he
was practicing law in Chicago, where he first joined the Rotary
movement—a decision that would echo through decades of
service.

In 1910, Gordon moved to San Diego and opened his law office
in the Union Building downtown. Just a year later, he helped
found the San Diego Rotary Club, and by 1913, he was elected
its President. His leadership and vision were quickly recognized
on a global scale, and in 1915, at the Rotary International
Convention in Houston, Gordon was elected a Director of
Rotary International.

But his contributions didn’t stop there. In 1927, he founded the
law firm of Gray, Cary, Ames, and Driscoll—later known as
Gray, Cary, Ames & Frye—a cornerstone of legal excellence in
our region. Though he moved to La Jolla in 1929, it wasn’t until
1941, when his firm opened a branch office here, that he truly
began to shape the community.

In addition to Mr. Gray’s work in the San Diego legal field Mr.
Gray was instrumental in establishing the La Jolla museum now
known as the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. In 1941
six La Jollans founded the Museum, with Mr. Gray doing the
lion’s share of the heavy lifting.  Another of the six was Sam
Weston, Dave Weston’s father, who signed the Museum’s
original incorporation documents as corporate secretary.
In 1947, at the age of 70, Gordon once again answered the call
to serve. Alongside Fred Annable, he helped organize the Rotary
Club of La Jolla and became its first President.

Gordon Gray passed away in 1967 at the age of 90. But his
legacy lives on—in the clubs he built, the lives he touched, and
the spirit of Rotary that he helped ignite in our community.
Let us remember Gordon not just as a lawyer or a Rotarian, but
as a pioneer of service, a builder of bridges, and a man whose
life reminds us that dedication to others is the highest form of
leadership.

Thank you.