Earl Stanley Gay

Earl Stanley Gay was born February 5, 1947, in Marietta, Georgia to Earl Eugene Gay and Gladys Kilgore Jordan. Stan, as he was known to most, moved with his family to Cleveland as a child. He attended Cleveland Public Schools, including Glenville High School. At Glenville, “Stan the Man” quickly became a star track and field athlete on campus. He later attended Purdue University on an athletic scholarship, where he graduated with a degree in sociology. He then obtained his Master’s degree in Student Personnel in Higher Education at Kent University before embarking on a decades-long career in administration and human resources at many prestigious institutions. Stan was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated. The name Omega Psi Phi is from the Greek phrase meaning "friendship is essential to the soul," and you could say this was a guiding motto for Stan’s life. From lifelong friendships forged in high school to those he would create wherever he went later in life, he enjoyed connecting with people. Through sports (Stan was an avid Brown’s fan), politics, film, and so much more, Stan was an artful conversationalist who loved to engage in debate and spirited discussions. He also loved music (especially jazz), travel, and reading. A man of faith, Stan often found comfort in Christ as a member of Antioch Baptist Church. Stan passed away peacefully on March 22, 2022, from complications related to congestive heart failure. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Robert, and leaves to forever honor his legacy two children: Alicia (Hugh) and Brandon; sister, Wilma Spain (Andrew), brother, Ronald Jordan (Laverne); two grandchildren: Thomas Roscoe and Ronan McMullen; former spouse, Linda Gay, as well as nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.