John W. Gregory

He was born March 16, 1945 in Roanoke, Va. Visitation will be Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at Navarre Funeral Home. Services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, May 16, 2005, at Navarre Funeral Home with Rev. Tommy Lyles officiating. Burial will follow at White Cemetery in Highlands.

“Big John” was a two-time All- American football player (defensive tackle) in Roanoke, Va. He played on two National Championship football teams at Kilgore Junior College in Kilgore, where he met the love of his life, Judy, whom he wed in 1966. From Kilgore, John and Judy transferred to Wichita State University in Wichita, Kan., where he received a bachelor’s degree in education. They moved to Baytown in 1971, where John worked for U. S. Steel for 17 years. He was employed at Ethyl Corp./ M.E.M.C. in Pasadena and was a member of Cedar Bayou United Methodist Church at the time of his death.

Serving as pallbearers will be Robert Addison, Joe Brown, Cory Istre, Pep Hebert, Mike Clepper and Marvin Jasek.

John was extremely creative and the consummate handyman. His favorite passions in life were woodworking and keeping his yard in immaculate condition. He never met a stranger and everyone who was blessed to have met him knew him to be a “gentle giant.”

He is survived by his wife, Judy Gregory of Baytown; daughters and son-in-law, Lisa and Steve Sherron of Baytown and Lauren Gregory of Houston; son, Ryan Gregory of Houston; his only grandchild, Mackenzie Sherron of Baytown; brothers, Bob Gregory of Wilmington, N.C. and Jack Gregory of Cancun, Mexico; brother-in-law, Marvin Girouard and his wife Felice of Fort Worth and their children, Jamie, Mark and Jenna; and many nieces and nephews.

Donations/gifts in honor of John can be sent to Cedar Bayou United Methodist Church, 2714 Ferry Road, Baytown, Texas 77520, 281-427-4754.

To view the obituary or to leave a tribute for the family, go to www.navarrefuneralhome.com

Services are under the direction of Navarre Funeral Home, 2444 Rollingbrook Drive, Baytown, Texas 77521, 281-422-8111.