Roger Gray:
CLASS OF 1978
Fountain Valley High SchoolClass of 1978
Fountain valley, CA
Fulton Middle SchoolClass of 1974
Fountain valley, CA
Fulton Elementary SchoolClass of 1974
Fountain valley, CA
Eugene Field Elementary SchoolClass of 1970
Pasadena, CA
Audubon Elementary SchoolClass of 1969
Altadena, CA
Roger's Story
Always interested to hear from my former classmates! Here's what I've been up to for the last 45+ years . . .
After HS I went to USC where I earned a BA in Journalism and Political Science there in 1982; worked my way up to Editorial Director of the Daily Trojan, and seriously considered writing as a career. Nevertheless, law school beckoned, fulfilling my 8th Grade Career Project prophecy.
From '82 - '85 I attended The Catholic University of America, in Washington D.C., for law school, and in 1985 began a 15 year run as a trial lawyer. I spent time in various firms, both very large firms and very small ones, and in my own practice, all in-and-around Los Angeles and the long-time ancestral home of Pasadena.
In 2000 I began a mediation practice, having tired of destroying value as a trial lawyer and looking for a way to create it. My mediation practice focused on family law, divorce and custody issues, as well as mediating dozens of civil lawsuits ranging from fender-benders to embezzlement.
One goal of the mediation practice was to do good work helping people get through their breakups cleanly, and in the best interests of any children and their future lives apart -- all without the crippling costs of legal fees; the sad fact is that they pay warriors better than peacemakers... and so I turned to a new profession .... And I become a teacher . . . teaching 4th grade, & 6th Grade, becoming science lead at a traditional middle school, then moving to English, history and stagecraft elective for 7th and 8th grade.
For about 10 years I also served on the board of Boys Republic in Chino, a youth services facility, which is basically a residential school and treatment center of last resort for kids headed for hard jail time or worse in the juvenile court system. Hey, support a good cause and buy a Christmas Wreath. Google 'em and tell 'em Roger Gray sent you . . .(grin)
From about 2000 to 2010 I dabbled in Pasadena politics, becoming very active in transportation and mobility issues, founding a local pedestrian advocacy group (Pasadenawalks)and serving on the board of the statewide "California Walks," all the while helping to implement the official policy here of making Pasadena a place where people can circulate without cars. Most recently I served on the Pasadena Environmental A...Expand for more
dvisory Commission, and helped create a local plastic bag ban.
As if to make up for all that civic mindedness, I have also spent 30+ years working for the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, as an actor, extra, and teacher of Elizabethan English as a Second Language (grin again). (Thanks to Diana Dean for dragging me to my first Faire in 1978!)
I married for the first time at age 21 while at USC, and divorced by age 25 (no kids); married again in 1993, to a woman who is now the Forensic Anthropologist for San Bernardino County (there are some interesting stories!). One son, Spencer, born 1995. Divorced again 2000; now married to a lovely lady named Leslie. Her child, Ryn (born 1998) my son, and our daughter Hannah (born 2005) make our home in Pasadena, in a house built in 1903, but which doesn't look a day over 100.
Other factoids, randomly: Several years ago I took what is sometimes called "lay ordination" as a Buddhist, and founded a little Buddhist group here in Pasadena. Again you can Google "zen pasadena" and up we pop.
In 2015 I became certified as a UC Ag Extension Master Gardener, teach classes and help set up school gardens; in 2019I became a Certified California Naturalist, and teach that course too. In a releared vein I teach course and am certified myself for interpretive guides (think park rangers and museum docents).
Having retired from teaching in 2018, I have been doing voiceover work from a home studio for the past couple of years -- nothing amazing, but kind of fun. (QwertyVox dot com)
Over the last year, I have started part-time work with California State Parks (bucket list item) and picked up a General class ham radio license (K6WXD).
I am also active in general sustainability issues, solar electricity generation, organic food, transportation cycling, vermicomposting and more such stuff. I make and sell hand made Appalachian style brooms, and do a little blacksmithing on the side.
My mother says I have become a hippie, but I still have Disney-legal hair! UPDATE: Gave up haircuts for my midlife crises circa Fall 2010; hair well past my shoulders now, and a graying beard....
If you were interested enough to read this far, I hope you were at least bemused, if not surprised. Feel free to email! I can be reached directly at rhgray on the EarthLink network.
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