‘CMSA and the entire GLBT community is mourning the death of Peg Grey,’ said CMSA’s Marcia Hill. ‘From the early 1980s until her death, she was involved in getting people to play gay sports. She was very instrumental in the founding of the CMSA women’s softball and volleyball leagues in 1983, and through her work with Team Chicago and the Federation of Gay Games, many women who never thought about playing gay sports, especially those that did not have the opportunity to play in high school prior to 1972, took the chance of playing and are forever thankful for her gentle nudge, push to compete, her positive influence that it was OK to be gay and play gay sports. Be proud of who you are. Women’s sports in Chicago has lost a great teacher, friend and leader.’
‘I was deeply saddened by the passing of Peg Grey,’ said Dick Uyvari. ‘She enriched my life and those of countless others in the GLBT sports community. I was honored to be her friend for the past 26 years. Peg was a real dynamo who gave her all to every activity she was involved in. Her dedication and selflessness will be sorely missed. One of her many contributions was the annual ‘Proud to Run’ race; and how appropriate a title, for I, like many others, was so ‘Proud to Have Known Peg’. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to Grace, Pam and all her family members and friends. Rest in peace my dear friend, you ran a great race.’
‘From the moment I met Peg we felt a bond; a connection far beyond our mutual interest in outreach and women’s participation in the Gay Games,’ said Laura Moore, FGG delegate from the International Gay Figure Skating Union. ‘She was a truly good human being with only the purest intentions and a greater humility than I ever saw in anyone. I feel privileged to have known her and hope she knew how enormously she touched the lives of so many.’
‘I worked closely with Peg for many years in the 1980s,’ said Art Johnston. ‘Peg was absolutely tireless in her efforts to create opportunities for women athletes of every skill level.’
‘Peg Grey helped inspire a generation of gay and lesbian people to participate in sports as a way to improve health, create self-esteem and facilitate healthy social interaction. She embraced the mission of the Gay Games as a means to achieve these goals and played a crucial role in the success of the global movement,’ said Kevin Boyer, Co Vice-Chair of Gay Games Chicago. ‘Her lifelong work culminated this past summer when the Gay Games came to her beloved Chicago. She helped organize the 2006 Team Chicago, the largest city team ever to participate in a Gay Games, and worked hard to ensure that older athletes had ample opportunities to compete. She was part of the soul of the 2006 Gay Games and her death has greatly saddened all of us, but she has left our lives much richer and we are grateful to have known her.’
‘Peg Grey was a leader in the LGBT sports movement in Chicago,’ said Bill Greaves, the City of Chicago’s liaison to the LGBT communities and a member and former president of Frontrunners/Frontwalkers Chicago. ‘Peg founded the Proud to Run races in June 1982 as way for gay men and lesbians to celebrate their pride as athletes on the day of the Pride Parade. The races were a great success, and as a result Frontrunners Chicago was established a week later by Peg, Rob Williams, and Jim White. Her spirit will run with us into the future.’
‘The past few days have been full of reflection and recollection of memories. I have spoken to women all over the country who’s lives have been touched by Peg,’ said Elizabeth Valenti, a long-time athlete and former staff member of Gay Games VII. ‘My first memories of Peg stretch back to the late 1980s when I first moved back to Chicago after living in San Francisco. I was anticipating a much less evolved gay and lesbian athletic community in Chicago until I met Peg. In Peg, I found a small woman with a large heart and spirit committed to gay athletics, not just lesbian athletics. Yes, she was driven to get lesbian women involved, but not by excluding gay men. More than anyone else I have ever met in my life, Peg embraced and embodied the vision of [Gay Games founder] Dr. Tom Waddell of participation, inclusion and personal best. Whether you were picking up a softball for the very first time, or training for a world-class master’s meet, Peg brought the very best out in you. I will miss both her friendship and her leadership.’
‘I met Peg Grey at my first FGG meeting in the early 1990s. She was combative and I was a bit scared of her at first,’ said FGG delegate and wrestling organizer Gene Dermody. ‘But the strong commitment she had to the movement was so evident, that I grew to like and respect her for her vision, even though we argued a lot about issues of sanctioning, gender divisions, drug testing, etc. She saw the problems of gender and ageism were increasing within our own GLBT sports because of our mainstream successes. She reminded us that we were forgetting our roots. As former FGG Sports Officer I can say that it will be her lasting legacy to the Gay Games movement that proper age and gender divisions (and just not lip service) were properly restored to the Gay Games mission. It was an honor to know such a pioneer.’
‘The Federation of Gay Games celebrates the life and accomplishments of our beloved colleague, Peg Grey,’ said FGG spokesman Charlie Carson. ‘Peg was elected the first female co-president of the Federation in 1989 when the original San Francisco Gay Games board changed into an international governing body. Peg was the perfect choice due to her background in community activism and, in particular, her leadership in the LGBT sports movement. Peg was extremely proud that the Gay Games came to her hometown, and her interest in international and women’s outreach were key in achieving one of Gay Games VII’s most heartwarming results. Contacts she made in South Africa and her personal ongoing support enabled a Johannesburg minority women’s soccer team to come to Chicago’s Gay Games—the first trip out of their country for nearly all of them, capped by their winning the bronze. In short, Peg changed lives, and we are all better for it.’
‘Peg, thank you for being the dearest companion and best friend that anyone could ever ask for. Your unconditional love will live on in me forever. Your spirit will live inside me every day for the rest of my life. I love you,’ said Pam Hulvey, who also related her thoughts on what Grey was going through and would say to the community: ‘Peg Grey transitioned from her earth walk into the spiritual realm… Peg’s spirit never gave up. She battled her illness with dignity and courage to the very end. Peg did it her way on her terms. Peg intended to win this battle and the universe had other plans. Peg is now FREE from pain, FREE from the restrictions of a failing body, FREE to pursue another spiritual path. Peg made a difference in the world. She gave her heart and soul to everything she created. Peg never saw herself as an artist. But she was the Master of Masters for creating a better world for all of us to live in. Peg loved to garden. Peg planted many seeds in people, teams, organizations, school systems and governments. Peg was also a visionary. Peg saw sports as another way to get gays and lesbians to meet one another and to share their love for athletics and to show the world: HEY we are regular people too! Her heart was always into sports and through sports political consciousness was raised. Peg tirelessly worked on recruiting players, forming teams, leagues and organizations for all types of sports. Her motivation for all of her efforts was her desire to serve. Peg did amazing things with her life. Peg wants you to know that YOU TOO can do amazing things with your life. Peg wants you to know that she loves you all very much and to thank each and every one of you for sharing your journey with her. Blessings to each of you.’Â