In Memoriam

Gary Milton Grear, age 78, of Memphis, Tennessee, passed away on September 11th, 2025. He is survived by his devoted wife, JoAnn Grear; his son, Matthew Grear, and daughter-in-law, Mariangeles Grear; his daughter, Mary Elizabeth Blythe, and son-in-law, Jeremy Blythe; his beloved grandchildren, Titus, Maddie Grace, Noelle, and Joseph Blythe; and his brother Allen Grear and sister-in-law Cheryl Grear. Born in Memphis to Milton and Ann Grear, Gary graduated from Messick High School in 1965 and from Memphis State University in 1969. He remained a proud alumni of Messick High School. He was a proud Sigma Chi, serving as Epsilon Kappa chapter president in 1968 and later as president of the Memphis Sigma Chi Housing Group, where he played a major role in building the current fraternity house, dedicated in 2004. In 2005, he received Sigma Chi’s highest honor, the “Significant Sig” Award, joining the ranks of Brad Pitt, John Wayne, David Letterman, and AutoZone founder J.R. “Pitt” Hyde III.

Gary built a distinguished career in investment banking and equity markets. He began in fixed income and municipal securities at Carty & Bolton, Inc. (later Carty & Co., Inc.) 1973–1974, before joining Morgan Keegan & Co. in 1979. Rising through the firm, he served as Senior Vice President and Director of Fixed Income Marketing and, in 1990, was appointed to a six-member committee overseeing the Fixed Income Markets Group, serving alongside the firm’s president and four close colleagues. He remained with Morgan Keegan until 1994, later founding Legacy Securities Corp. (1995–1999) and ultimately Chairman at FTN Financial Securities (1999–2007) and FTN Equity Capital Markets (2009–2010).

A lifelong athlete, Gary devoted much of his life to the growth of sports in Memphis, publishing Sports in Memphis in the '70s. He was especially focused on tennis in Memphis. Beginning in the 1970s, he held leadership roles with the Memphis Tennis Association, USTA National Indoor Championships, and chairman of local tournaments. He was a member of the Colonial Racquet Club, Chickasaw Country Club, Racquet Club of Memphis, and Missouri Athletic Club. His generosity provided equipment, clothing, and opportunities for countless youth in athletic programs through local schools, teams, and the University of Memphis tennis program. His vision culminated in the creation of the Leftwich Tennis Center, dedicated in 2023. Known as the “father of the idea for Leftwich,” Gary personally helped with the launch and the fundraising. Today, the 36-court facility stands among the premier tennis venues in the Southeast. In recognition of his impact on the community, he was inducted into the Memphis Amateur Sports Hall of Fame in 2023, joining his father Milton Grear.

Gary will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend, whose leadership and generosity left a lasting mark on his family, fraternity, profession, and community.

Public visitation will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery at the Fireside Chapel on Thursday at 1:30 PM, with the funeral service at 2:30 PM and a reception to follow.