Jay Moyer

Jay was born in Perkasie, PA on July 28, 1940, the only child of J. Edward and Frances Apple Moyer. A graduate of Westminster (MD) High School in 1958, he was the star quarterback on his school’s football team. Jay had plans to play football at Dartmouth College, but a serious hip injury in the final game of his senior high school season ended his playing career. He subsequently attended Dartmouth College, graduating in 1962 with a B.A. in Philosophy. Jay was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He received his law degree from Duke University School of Law in 1965, with an election to the Order of the Coif.

After law school Jay joined the firm of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in Cleveland, OH where he practiced litigation and labor law. In 1972, he joined the National Football League as Counsel to the Commissioner, the NFL’s first in-house attorney and the youngest member of the NFL’s senior management team. In 1984, he was appointed Executive Vice President and League Counsel, the NFL’s number two executive position at the time. Jay retired from full-time employment in 1996 but continued to work part-time as Special Counsel to the League. But his legal influence didn’t stop there, as Jay was asked to help develop the Sports Law Division at Fordham University School of Law where he also worked as an Adjunct Professor. He served on the Board of Directors of the Sports Lawyers Association, as well as several other non-profit organizations. Jay was profiled in multiple editions of Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who of Emerging Leaders, and Who's Who in the World, and is a past recipient of the Sports Lawyers Association Award of Excellence. In 2018, Jay was inducted into the Carroll County (MD) Sports Hall of Fame for his achievements as a high school football player and professional sports executive.

Jay and his wife Terry resided primarily in Manhattan but valued spending time at their home in Rhode Island. This June, the couple would have celebrated 45 years together. During that time, their lives revolved around work and family, and enjoying life whenever possible. Jay was an avid golfer, proud to share the achievement of his first and only hole-in-one with the day of his youngest granddaughter’s birth. He reveled in the accomplishments of his grandchildren, be it collegiate baseball, youth and high school sports, Eagle Scout, musical ensembles, theater and dance honors and successful careers in business and science - Jay was filled with pride and joy knowing he was the patriarch of such achievements. Having musical parents, Jay developed an early love of music. Playing guitar was a favorite way for him to unwind, often playing for his family after dinner and at gatherings. And if he wasn’t listening to the Oldies, the sounds of Country music rang in the house. Jay devoured books and his hunger for learning resulted in him being a veritable “fountain of knowledge”, be it for sports stats, musical facts or any other topic. In all, Jay was a generous, empathetic, loyal, honest, devoted, and spiritual man who loved nothing more than being surrounded by his family. He also cherished his lifelong friends, who were more like family, and all the connections he made throughout his life’s journey.

Jay is survived by his loving wife Terry; his children Jennifer George (Steve), Jim Moyer (Shannon), and Judith Colonna (Michael Gillian); his grandchildren Conner, Kyle, Allison, Billy, Katie, Ayden, and Evann; and his great-granddaughter Ku’uleimelia. He was predeceased by his eldest daughter Sherrill Ann Moyer (Craig Shubert).

A memorial mass will be held on Wednesday, May 29th at 10:00 a.m. at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, 980 Park Avenue, New York. Memorial tributes may be made in the form of charitable donations to the American Cancer Society in memory of Jay’s beloved daughter Sherri.