Nellie Grey

Nellie Gray, President of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, passed away August 13, 2012 at the age of 88. Nellie was a native of Big Spring, Texas. She served in World War II in the Women’s Army Corps. Nellie’s education included an undergraduate business degree, a master degree in economics, and ultimately a law degree from Georgetown Law Center. Nellie worked for more than twenty years for the U.S. Government in the Departments of State and Labor. After retiring from her federal career, Nellie played a key role in founding the March for Life in 1974, the peaceful prolife demonstration against abortion held every year on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. She soon emerged as the leader of the annual event, and as an outspoken, eloquent advocate for the most vulnerable members of our society, the preborn.

In addition to her heroic work for the March for Life, Nellie will be most remembered for her passionate stance that every life, born and preborn, aged and young, must be cherished and protected. No exception! No compromise!

Until the very last moment of her life, Nellie pressed for unity in the prolife movement. She firmly believed that not a single preborn life should be sacrificed for any reason, and urged all prolife organizations to adopt the March for Life’s signature statement, the Life Principles, as the guiding light for all participants in the noble cause to which she devoted her life.

Nellie has been a giant in the pro-life movement. As we approach the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Board of Directors will continue to honor Nellie’s memory by doing everything possible to protect every preborn human person, and to bring to an end the scourge of abortion in the United States. Her legacy will live on at March for Life.