Marion J. Grant Gregory, 81, of Huntsville, Alabama, died Tuesday after a courageous battle with cancer.
She was raised in Dalton, Georgia, the daughter of the late IV Pickering Agnew and William Oscar Grant, Jr. Marion is survived by her beloved husband of 61 years, James D. Gregory, Sr. (Jim); daughter, Amanda Sue Gregory of Tullahoma, Tennessee; sons, James D. Gregory, Jr.(Doug) and wife Lori of Huntsville, Richard Daniel Gregory and wife Charlotte of Decatur, AL; grandchildren James and Sarah Lauren Gregory of Huntsville, and Caroline, Mary Elizabeth, and Emily Gregory of Decatur, Alabama; sisters, Sandra Headrick of Cleveland, Tennessee, and Gail Amos and Cathy Bramblet of Chatsworth, Georgia. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Wanda Jean Thomas and grandson, Daniel Grant Gregory.
A majorette at Dalton High School, Marion graduated in 1951. Formally trained at McKenzie Business College in Chattanooga as a bookkeeper, her professional career began at Art-Rich Manufacturing Company in Dalton, Georgia. After moving to Huntsville with Jim in 1955, Marion worked with the Sequential staff and later with the Army Missile Command.
After the birth of her first child, Marion devoted herself to full time mother and wife. She was involved with Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, PTA, and supported all the children’s sporting activities including baseball, softball, tennis and swimming. She was past president and member of the Four Seasons Garden Club.
Marion enjoyed ballroom and square dancing with the Hill Toppers and Mountain Squares. She loved camping and spending many happy times with family and friends at their lake house. Marion and Jim traveled in their motorhome to almost every state and particularly enjoyed several family cruises to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. She was a great cook and delighted in preparing wonderful meals for her family. She never met a stranger and always said, “I give hugs not handshakes.”
Marion exemplified what it meant to be a wife, mother, grandmother and Godly woman. She and Jim were charter members of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Huntsville where she taught Sunday school for many years. She loved her Bible Study classes and was always so diligent to study and be prepared for their weekly sessions. Marion truly loved the Lord and always professed it beautifully in a heartfelt way.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 30th at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. The family will receive friends from 11:00am – 12:00pm with a Memorial Service to begin at 12:00pm.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Covenant Presbyterian Church, The Huntsville Botanical Gardens and Giving.YoungLife.org \ AL84
