John B. Gray, Jr.

Jack was born January 21, 1935, the son of Ethel and John Gray in Jersey City, N.J. He grew up the first twenty-one years of life at the family home. Jack graduated from P.S. #34, Saint Peter’s Prep ‘52 and Saint Peter’s University ‘56, where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Philosophy. At graduation, Jack received a 2nd Lieutenant Commission in the Infantry, due to report to active duty in February 1957. The Army assigned him to the Security Agency as a crypt analytical officer with top-secret security clearance. Three weeks before reporting at Fort Devens, Jack married Terry Curtin, whom he dated throughout college. After completing his military obligation, Jack was hired by IBM Corporation and SBC Subsidiary reporting to the Wall Street Office in New York City, specializing in the security industry systems.

Five years later, Jack moved to oversee the offices in New Jersey. After three years of marketing success, he was asked to take over a sleepy office in Indianapolis, Indiana, that had potential. Jack said he would talk with his wife, Terry, and let them know. He called Terry and asked, “where is Indianapolis?” She replied, “I don’t know I will check.” She called him back and said, “you are not going to like it; it’s the largest city on non-navigable waters.” Jack grew up on the Jersey Shore – lifeguard, fisherman, etc. Jack’s response was, “let’s go, it will be good to get away from the coast for a bit, and if I get the job done, we will be back East.” In three years of success, the office became the sixth largest in the country.

Jack was promoted to National Industry Manager, located in New York City. After six months of traveling and looking for a new house, he realized he was unhappy, missed Indianapolis, and resigned. He returned to Indianapolis and formed CMS (Computer Management Systems, a data processing service and software company) with three employees, his former secretary and a technical specialist from Chicago. In the next seven years, CMS grew and eventually employed six hundred people. CMS then merged with a public company, as Jack became a Division President. During those years, Jack was awarded the distributorship for Sony Consumer Electronics. In 1987, Jack retired and received a call to become President and Shareholder of a small public manufacturing company. In the next eighteen months, they acquired six companies with twelve branches engaged in heavy-duty truck parts and services and grew the business from four to eighty million in revenues. In 1992, he retired from corporate management life, became an investor in start-up companies, and continued as a board member of numerous organizations.

Jack has been active in many business and social organizations. Former and current: Trustee Indiana Presidents, Chairman Indianapolis/Carmel Civic Theatre, Board Member Hillcrest Country Club, Member Meridian Hills Country Club, Chapter Chairman Young Presidents (YPO) and World Presidents (WPO), Founding Member of Republican Senatorial Inner Circle, Trustee Marian University, Founding Member of Legatus of Indianapolis, St. Luke Catholic Church, President American Business Club. Jack was presented Indiana’s highest distinction and honorary award, Sagamore of the Wabash, by Governor Robert D. Orr in 1988. On Maui, Hawaii, Jack was: Judge of Big Brothers and Big Sisters Presidents of the Year, Board Member of Maui Economics Concerns of the Community and member of the Advisory Council for development of a Maui community hospital.

In 1996 Terry, his wife of thirty-nine years, passed away after a lengthy illness. Surviving was their only child, Cathy Gray Bertling, three grandchildren, Bob, Katelyn, and Ben. Jack has always been very proud of his family and talked to them almost every day. In 1998 Jack met Carolyn Schaefer, serving on the same board. Her sons attended Park Tudor School with daughter, Cathy. They married on July 4, 2000 (so that Jack wouldn’t forget the date). Carolyn has two sons, Scott and Drew; a daughter-in-law, Mary Catherine; and grandchildren, Shelby and Simon and Drew, Step daughter, Susan Schaefer and granddaughter Ash Samuelsson.

Carolyn and Jack traveled the world – Europe, Asia, New Zealand, South America, and many enjoyable sails on the Seabourn Cruise Line.

Jack moved to Woodland Terrace, an assisted living community, in December 2017, and his life ended in hospice care. The family wants to thank Dr. Matt Priddy, President of Priority Physicians, for his mindful care of body and spirit, Ms. Christina McCann Regional Care Navigator for The Justus Companies, and the many wonderful doctors who cared for Jack over the years and the staff at Woodland Terrace of Carmel. Jack was gregarious, fun-loving, an accomplished entrepreneur, and a strongly committed family man.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Monsignor Joseph Schaedel on Monday December 7, 2020 at 1:30pm in St. Luke Catholic Church with face mask required and social distancing observed, 7575 Holiday Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46260, friends and family will gather from 11:00 to 1:00 in Leppert Mortuary, Nora Chapel. Inurnment will take place at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens .

You are invited to visit the website www.leppertmortuary.com where you can share a personal memory of Jack, see the live stream of the service or arrange for a memorial contribution to Maui Arts and Cultural Center , 1 Cameron Way, Kahului, HI 96732 or Saint Peters University, 2642 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07306