Melville Gray
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- Year:
- 1916
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- Hometown:
- Joliet, Illinois
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- High School:
- Joliet Township
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- Team:
- Basketball, Football
Growing up in Joliet, Illinois, Melville attended Joliet Township
High School where he was an active student.
He entered Lake Forest in 1912 and went on to earn four letters in basketball and four in football. Melville served as captain of both teams his senior year. A member of Phi Pi Epsilon, he was also the recipient of the Poetry Prize his first year and was president of his raternity his senior year.
Graduating with a political science degree, Melville entered Harvard Law School and received his J.D. degree in 1921. He then served in World War I as a First Lieutenant in artillary. He received the Silver Star and the Croix de Guerre. He then returned to Joliet and started practicing law with a local law firm. He then became a senior member of the firm Gray, Thomas, Wallace, Fechan and Baron. As well as serving as dean of the Will City Bar Association, he also served at the association at the state and national level. President of the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce and Community Chest, he was also a member of the Elks, the University Club and the American Legion.