Thomas A. Gray Sr.'s Obituary
Thomas A. Gray Sr. friend to all and loved by many lost his courageous battle with cancer on November 23, 2017 at the age of 73.
Tom had a love for boxing since he was a young kid. It led him to open his first boxing gym in Lorain in 1979. His gym became the first in Ohio to be open 12 months a year. Tom became known nationally and internationally as a respected boxing trainer. He trained Carl “The Stuff” Griffith and helped him win the IBC World Championship and the USBA title. He also trained his brother, Mike “The Hammer” Griffith to an IBC America Title and a fight for the IBF World Title as well as training Rick West, Melvin Ricks and Cleveland Watkins. He was a special category honoree and was inducted into the Lorain Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
Before he started training professional fighters in 1986, Tom trained many amateurs in Lorain County. He held fight shows and ran the Golden Gloves for three years at various locations in Lorain. He had fighters advance to the Cleveland Golden Gloves and the National Golden Gloves in Mexico and Tennessee.
Tom had fights on Pay Per View (United States and Europe), USA Network, HBO, ESPN, ESPN 2, and the Spanish Network and had traveled all over the United States, Ireland, Germany, and Canada. As a youth, Tom was a Lorain Golden Gloves boxer in the early 60’s and was a runner-up one year. He began his career as a trainer with the well-known Pete DeSantis, who trained him. He went on to form the Gray Athletic Club, which sponsored local boxing shows.
He worked at Rebman Recreation for over 50 years as the head mechanic and was very well known and respected by many in the industry. Tom developed many close friendships during his years at Rebman Recreation.
In his spare time, Tom enjoyed playing golf with his brother, Ray, and visiting the local clubs with his sister, Carol.
Tom is survived by his beloved wife of 34 years, Myra; sons, Thomas A. and Maria (nee Malick) Gray, and Michael (Nanette Szopo) Gray; 6 grandchildren, including Xavier Kurpely, whom he raised; brother, George “Ray” (Diane) Gray; sister, Carol Zimmerman; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Eleanor (nee Cole) Gray; son, Mario Rivas; infant brother, Frankie; and his brother-in-law, Al Zimmerman.
The Gray family will receive friends on Monday, November 27, 2017 from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Road, Amherst. Closing prayers will follow the visitation at 7:00 p.m. Private family inurnment will take place at a later date.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.dovinreberjones.com
What’s your fondest memory of Thomas?
What’s a lesson you learned from Thomas?
Share a story where Thomas' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Thomas you’ll never forget.
How did Thomas make you smile?