Changes

'''J. D. Grey''', sometimes known as '''James David Grey''' (December 18, 1906 &ndash; July 26, 1985), a major figure in the [[Southern Baptist Convention]], was from 1937 to 1972 the pastor of the First [[Baptist]] Church of [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fbno.org/about-fbno/our-history/|title=First Baptist New Orleans: Our History|publisher=fbno.org|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>

'''J. D. Grey''', sometimes known as '''James David Grey''' (December 18, 1906 &ndash; July 26, 1985), a major figure in the [[Southern Baptist Convention]], was from 1937 to 1972 the pastor of the First [[Baptist]] Church of [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fbno.org/about-fbno/our-history/|title=First Baptist New Orleans: Our History|publisher=fbno.org|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>

 

==Background==

==Background==

A native of Princeton in Caldwell County in western [[Kentucky]], Grey was reared in Paducah, a city in McCracken County, also in western Kentucky at the confluence of the [[Tennessee River|Tennessee]] and [[Ohio River|Ohio]] rivers. In 1925, Grey received his diploma from Tilghman High School in Paducah. That same year, he was ordained to preach by the Immanuel Baptist Church in Paducah. In 1959, years after he had left Paducah, the city mayor named him an honorary "Duke of Paducah". In 1929, he graduated from [[Union University]] in Jackson, Tennessee. In 1932, he received the Master of Theology degree from [[Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary]] in [[Fort Worth]], [[Texas]].<ref name=bio>James Cole and Robert L. Lee, ''Saint J. D.'' (Waco, Texas: Word Publishers, 1969), p. 159-163</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/29/us/the-rev-j-d-grey.html|title=Rev. J. D. Grey|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]'', July 29, 1985|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>

A native of Princeton in Caldwell County in western [[Kentucky]], Grey was reared in Paducah, a city in McCracken County, also in western Kentucky at the confluence of the [[Tennessee River|Tennessee]] and [[Ohio River|Ohio]] rivers. In 1925, Grey received his diploma from Tilghman High School in Paducah. That same year, he was ordained to preach by the Immanuel Baptist Church in Paducah. In 1959, years after he had left Paducah, the city mayor named him an honorary "Duke of Paducah". In 1929, he graduated from [[Union University]] in Jackson, Tennessee. In 1932, he received the Master of Theology degree from [[Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary]] in [[Fort Worth]], [[Texas]].<ref name=bio>James Cole and Robert L. Lee, ''Saint J. D.'' (Waco, Texas: Word Publishers, 1969), p. 159-163</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/29/us/the-rev-j-d-grey.html|title=Rev. J. D. Grey|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]'', July 29, 1985|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>

   

   

==Ministry==

==Ministry==

In 1934, Grey accepted the pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Denton, Texas, but left, effective May 31, 1937, for his final pastorate at the First Baptist Church in New Orleans, which extended for thirty-five years until his retirement on December 31, 1972.<ref name=bio/> During that time, the congregation nearly tripled and annual contributions increased from $26,000 to more than $650,000.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-07-29/news/8502190795_1_southwestern-baptist-theological-seminary-southern-baptist-convention-graduate-of-union-university|title=Rev. J. D. Grey, 77|publisher=''[[Chicago Tribune]]''|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>  

In 1934, Grey accepted the pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Denton, Texas, but left, effective May 31, 1937, for his final pastorate at the First Baptist Church in New Orleans, which extended for thirty-five years until his retirement on December 31, 1972.<ref name=bio/> During that time, the congregation nearly tripled and annual contributions increased from $26,000 to more than $650,000.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-07-29/news/8502190795_1_southwestern-baptist-theological-seminary-southern-baptist-convention-graduate-of-union-university|title=Rev. J. D. Grey, 77|publisher=''[[Chicago Tribune]]''|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>  

==Community activities==

==Community activities==

Grey was a founding member in 1942 and thereafter the president in 1956 of the conservative interest group, the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation. He was a member of the committee which coordinated the 250th anniversary celebration of the founding of New Orleans held in 1968. He was a board member of the "good government" group known as the Council for a Better Louisiana and the children's advocacy group, Big Brothers of New Orleans.<ref name=jdg>{{cite web|url=http://genforum.genealogy.com/tx/denton/messages/508.html|title=Rev. J. D. Grey|publisher=genforum.genealogy.com|accessdate=July 4, 2012}}</ref> He was also a life member of the advisory board of the [[Salvation Army]] in New Orleans, vice-chairman of the Louisiana State Board of Corrections, and a board member of the Association for Retarded Children, the [[American Red Cross]], and the [[Boy Scouts of America]]. He was active for three decades in Kiwanis International.<ref name=bio/> In 1984, long after he had retired as a pastor, Grey was an advisor for the New Orleans World's Fair Crusade held at the Rivergate.<ref name=jdg/>  

Grey was a founding member in 1942 and thereafter the president in 1956 of the conservative interest group, the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation. He was a member of the committee which coordinated the 250th anniversary celebration of the founding of New Orleans held in 1968. He was a board member of the "good government" group known as the Council for a Better Louisiana and the children's advocacy group, Big Brothers of New Orleans.<ref name=jdg>{{cite web|url=http://genforum.genealogy.com/tx/denton/messages/508.html|title=Rev. J. D. Grey|publisher=genforum.genealogy.com|accessdate=July 4, 2012}}</ref> He was also a life member of the advisory board of the [[Salvation Army]] in New Orleans, vice-chairman of the Louisiana State Board of Corrections, and a board member of the Association for Retarded Children, the [[American Red Cross]], and the [[Boy Scouts of America]]. He was active for three decades in Kiwanis International.<ref name=bio/> In 1984, long after he had retired as a pastor, Grey was an advisor for the New Orleans World's Fair Crusade held at the Rivergate.<ref name=jdg/>  

   

   

==Family and death==

==Family and death==

Grey and his wife, the former Lillian Tooke, whom he married in 1927, had twin daughters born in 1941, Martha Ann Cantrell and her husband, Richard, and Mary Beth Burg and husband, Jules L. Burg, Jr. (1923-2011).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Jules-Burg&lc=7863&pid=153502123&mid=4803597|title=Jules L. Burg, Jr., September 2, 2011|publisher=obits.dignitymemorial.com|accessdate=July 3, 2012}}</ref>  There are three Grey grandsons, Bryant Curtis Cantrell, Patrick Grey Cantrell, and Joe David Burg.<ref name=bio/>

Grey and his wife, the former Lillian Tooke, whom he married in 1927, had twin daughters born in 1941, Martha Ann Cantrell and her husband, Richard, and Mary Beth Burg and husband, Jules L. Burg, Jr. (1923-2011).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Jules-Burg&lc=7863&pid=153502123&mid=4803597|title=Jules L. Burg, Jr., September 2, 2011|publisher=obits.dignitymemorial.com|accessdate=July 3, 2012}}</ref>  There are three Grey grandsons, Bryant Curtis Cantrell, Patrick Grey Cantrell, and Joe David Burg.<ref name=bio/>