Norman David Gregory

Norman David Gregory was born of Walton and Rosalia Gregory in New Waverly, Texas on May 15, 1934. He was the youngest of twelve. He met the love of his life, Frances Gregory, in 1954 where they were both employed by JC Penny's in Conroe, Texas and married two years later. They were devoted to each other for 66 years. He left this life on April 21, 2021, being 86 years, 11 months, and 6 days of age.

He is survived by his wife, Frances Gregory, his daughter, Karla Gregory, his son, Kerry Gregory and wife Marilyn Gregory. His granddaughter, Bobbye Miller and her two daughters, Rashanne and Nautica. His step-granddaughters, Mischelle Hopper and Mica Chapman.

He served in the US Army for 2 years, 1955-1957, and was stationed for part of that time in Germany. Over the following years, he worked as a carpenter, a machinist, a chemical plant operator (for 28 years in Texas City, Texas), and doing dirt work with his tractor. He loved to work. He would always find something to do outside like mowing, vegetable gardening, or building something. He helped many people over the years with repairs or handyman work or donations. He set up a savings for Bobbye when she was born.

From his wife, Frances:

“He provided everything I ever said I wanted. He worked 2 jobs all the time so I could be at home for Karla and Kerry. He never spent money on himself except for things to work with. He gave far more than promised on that evening 66 years ago when we were married. Even when he could no longer talk, I could see his love for me in his eyes and we loved each other even more then than we did from the first. Psalms 103:1

“He loved my Mom and Dad like his own. He did all he could to help his own Dad and Mom in their last years. He would spend all his days off with them those last years.

“He was so happy on his tractor. He loved doing all kinds of dirt work with it.

“Pastor Wayne Hudson spent a lot of time with him the 28 years we lived in Santa Fe, Texas, and is sure from their talks that Norman knew Jesus as his Savior. That comforts me so much. He decided to go to church with us the last 5 years that he was able to go.

“There may be some as good as Norman was, but none better. I still love him very much. My Lord has blessed me beyond measure.”

From Karla:
“I remember Dad as someone who was always there, the bedrock of our young lives. He was not very vocal with his love, but demonstrated it with his life as he provided for us by working hard all his life. I never had to worry about a roof over my head or food on the table as we grew up. He took Care of us. It was my Great Privilege and Honor to care for him for the last two years of his life as the measure of the love I have for my Dad.”


From Kerry:
Ecclesiastes chapter 3. This is the chapter that informs us that to everything there is a season. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to weep and mourn; a time to laugh.

As I look back on the seasons of my Earthly Father (Dad), I see how this is demonstrated in the arc of his life as it covered some four generations. I also see that throughout his life there was always a last time that each even was to happen.

The last time his Mother picked him up and carried him on her hip.

The last time he held his Mother's hand as they entered the church.

The last time he left home as a single man before he returned as a husband to his wife.

The last time he was able to plant a garden, mow his yard, leave his bed on his own volition, his last breath here on Earth before his first breath as he saw his Risen Savior face to face.

Genesis chapter 3, verse 19 tells us another part of the path that Dad traveled here on Earth: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." As mentioned by Mom and Karla, it was a given that Dad was pretty much going to be out doing something constructive if not out earning a living.

Mom has shared with me the times when Dad was working two jobs and the last one had him coming home late at night (Mom had said around 2:00 AM) and I would begin to wake up in my crib and want to play. Dad, after 16 hours on the clock plus travel time to the first job and then to the second job and then home, would come in the room and reach into the crib, probably play with me a bit to get me situated and would rub my head until I would return to sleep. No abuse; no yelling; just the love of an Earthly Father for his child.

1 Timothy chapter 5, verse 8: "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and it worse than an infidel."
As previously mentioned both above and by Mom and Karla, Dad made the effort to support us as his family. We did live out the "American Dream" I would say. While we did not have an excess of things but we did not lack.

Dad, after working those two jobs for some years, in 1967 had an opportunity to apply for a job down in Texas City to work for General Aniline & Film. The Texas City plant was home to its Amiben Unit. Amiben was a pre-emergent herbicide used to control weeds in soybean farming. Was known as a skin irritant. It dissolved the cotton from his work clothes.

Working at GAF was shift-work; he worked a week on day shift, a week on an evening shift and a week on a graveyard shift and then was off for a week known as a long-change. It was during this long-change time off that Dad would garden, build a chicken pen, a bird pen for Bob White quail and Ring Necked Doves. We also raised some grey geese and mallard ducks. He did begin his tractor work during this long-change time.

The tractor work began to grow and Dad seemed to enjoy most of what he did. He did not like mowing over the top of bumble bees only to have them swarm out after him though.

Dad was an example to me of a work ethic that proved that always keeping a job was the basis from which anything else in life that was wanted or needed was going to be gained. While I do not know everything that ever happened to or with him, his encounters with those in the public while he was doing his tractor work was one of respect to them and their property. He demonstrated that doing your best was the minimum that should be offered.

Matthew chapter 6, verse 1: "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven."

Dad has also demonstrated a willingness to help others. I find out only after his passing just some of the many times he would help others with physical labor or maybe a few dollars discreetly shared. People did see him doing the things that he did but he did not make an effort to seek praise as he had shared once with an uncle of ours that he "..was just trying to do the LORD's will." I only learned of this the morning when I was told of Dad's passing away.

It is a bit difficult to summarize nearly nine decades of living on this Earth. To keep it short and to the point. The point being that we will all have a time to be born, a time to grow, a time to love and a time to die. But the most important thing to have time to do while here on this Earth is to find time to love the LORD GOD with all of your mind, heart, soul and strength and to do so through his Risen Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be mane to the New Bethlehem Cemetery Association at P. O. Box 7232, Cut and Shoot, TX 77306.