AFLUA Life member John Gray (Jack) passed away peacefully on Monday 23rd July aged 92.
Known to us JR, Jack grew up in Ascot Vale. He played football with Essendon Stars under 18’s in the Melbourne Boys League. They were undefeated premiers in 1943, the game was played as a curtain raiser to the VFL grand final at Princess Park. JR also played with Essendon reserves in the VFL and Essendon Districts Football Club.
Jack also played cricket, golf, tennis and squash.
He began umpiring in the reserve grade in 1946, until his elevation to the VFL senior panel in 1949. Jack umpired 18 second eighteen games, 295 VCFL games including 18 grand finals. Two metropolitan and 10 Tasmanian games.
Jack was made a life member of the VFLUA in 1959. He became a VFL observer in 1966 until the end of 1970 where he became a member of the VFL Umpires Appointment Board. A position he held between 1971 and 1977. He was chairman of the board in 1977.
Jack held various executive positions with the VFLUA including 1955 Executive Committee, 1956 Assistant secretary, 1957 to 1959 Secretary and between 1960-1963 he was again on the executive committee.
JR also received a Life Time Achievement Award for services to the association and was inducted into the AFLUA Hall of Fame in 2008.
Jack was the brother of former VFL umpire Len Gray.