The Lucile D. and Robert Hays Gries Forum on Cultural Arts

Lucile Dauby and Robert Hays Gries were lifelong Clevelanders dedicated to the welfare and enhancement of the philanthropic institutions of their city. Lucile’s grandfather was a Civil War veteran from Cleveland and her father, Nathan L. Dauby, was the builder of the Cleveland May Company, and one of Cleveland’s leading philanthropists. Robert Hays Gries’ great-grandfather was the first Jewish settler in Cleveland in 1837; his grandfather was a City Councilman, industrialist and banker; and his father, Moses J. Gries, was a prominent Rabbi and important leader in Cleveland’s institutions during the early 1900’s.

Lucile and Robert Gries served as Trustees of innumerable Cleveland organizations, and contributed to hundreds in the fields of health, education, and cultural arts. They were also nationally known collectors of porcelain, silver, and books. Pieces of their collection can be seen at the Western Reserve Historical Society and the Cleveland Public Library.

Robert Hays Gries joined others in 1936 in bringing professional football to Cleveland, establishing the Cleveland Rams, and from their inception in 1946, was an owner, director, and officer of the Cleveland Browns.