Friend's We've Lost
R.I.P.
AUG 25
2020

David Gray

David N. Gray
1939‑2020
David Nathan Gray, age 81, died on August 25, 2020, as a result of old age. David was born in Beaumont, Texas, on February 6, 1939, the first son of William Nathan Gray, Jr. and Gladys Snodgrass Gray. 
David’s vocation was law but he often wished his avocation was his vocation. He spent his spare time as a youth league and high school baseball umpire. David, like most umpires, started in Little League. At age 43, after calling his first game, which resulted in both coaches being ejected, David was bitten by the baseball officiating bug. David officiated more than 4,000 games during his umpiring career, including 10 Texas Little League State Championships, three Southern and Southwest Regional Championships and two World Series Championships (1994 in Fort Lauderdale for the 18 year olds and 2004 in Williamsport for the 12 year olds). David never requested or received any pay for the countless hours he spent on a Little League field. For years, David called the 13 and 14 year olds at Kyle Chapman Pony but he always donated his pay back to the league.
David started calling high school games in 1990 and was selected by the coaches to officiate more than 100 play‑off games, culminating in his being selected to call the Texas State High School Championship Series in 2004. David felt honored to have officiated virtually every major league baseball player who came from the Houston area during his 25 year umpiring career. David always had interesting and usually humorous baseball stories to share with others. One of his most memorable comments came from a coach against whom David had made a call, who said, “You may not be the best but you are the fairest.”
Due to COVID‑19, no memorial service is scheduled. Digital remembrances may be left at www.earthmanbellaire.com. David requested that donations be made to the Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.

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