April 3, 1921-December 22, 2008
Henry D. (Hank) Gregory, III, of Roanoke, retired GE engineer and philanthropist, Presbyterian elder and wit, died December 22, 2008. As he might have put it, "There's now one less of-us young folks around than there used to be."Born in Denver, Colorado, to Henry, Jr. and Marion Hawkins Gregory and educated in Denver public schools, he graduated in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado in 1942. In that same year, he married Lorraine Bixby (who predeceased him in 2001) and began in Schenectady, New York his 42-year career with General Electric. There the couple's three children were born. In 1956, the family moved to Roanoke with GE, from which Mr. Gregory retired in 1984. In 2005, he married Imogene Dean, shared joy and love and support with her until he died, and embraced her children as his own.
Mr. Gregory was a leader and supporter of First Presbyterian Church, Treasurer of the Roanoke County Republican Party, a member of the GE Elfin Society; and delivered Meals on Wheels (his final time only days before his death). Hank Gregory received each day as a gift, and gratefully gave himself and his treasure to support his church and other agencies he saw to be serving his God's holy and loving purposes.
He is survived, and his memory is cherished, by his widow, Imogene Gregory; by his children: Henry Duval, IV "Greg," (Barbara "Bobi" Dixon), Lorinda Rae "Rindy" Lionberger (Sam), and Scott Charles (Kaye Carter); by his stepchildren, Nancy Reid (Lon), Lawrence Young, and Mary Beth Coffey (Bruce); by his nine grandchildren and three stepgrandchildren; by his sixteen great-grandchildren; and by his cousins Virginia Hawkins and Donald Hawkins (Margaret). The family wishes to express its deep gratitude to the Roanoke Memorial Hospital Neurotrauma ICU and to Chaplain Lisa Myers, for their excellent practice of the healing arts, and their even better compassion as human beings.
The Rev. Bob Smith will lead a memorial service at First Presbyterian Church on Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 3 p.m. An informal reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall.
