Gregory Frank Stavinoha

Gregory Frank Stavinoha of Tomball Texas went to be with our Lord on September 17, 2021, just eight days shy of his 67th birthday. Greg was born in Houston on September 25, 1954 to James and Matilda Stavinoha. He attended Pearland High School, graduating in 1974. He could never see well enough to drive a car (although that never stopped him from trying), but he was something else on a motorcycle.

After graduation, Greg joined Business Enterprises of Texas (BET). His first location was a community hospital gift shop in Clear Lake, then he started at the Borden Milk Plant in Downtown Houston. After about 10 years with BET, he decided he wanted to be a rock n roll star. He bought an old box truck they called the Blue Goose for hauling band equipment back and forth from Colorado to Florida. He and his various bands stayed as broke as a wooden nickel but they had the time of their lives. On Memorial Day weekend 1990, he met Sabrina and they were wed exactly one year later on Memorial Day Weekend 1991. Together they went on to have nine children: Elizabeth, Christopher, James, Daniel, Elena, Shekinah, Josiah, Micah, and Ian.

In late 1992, Greg decided it was time to put the rock n roll on hold. In the Summer of 1993, he went back through training with BET, and in October of 1993, he started at his location at Alliance Tower in Houston. On February 27 of 1996, Greg took over at the Mickey Leeland building. He spent many years serving on the Elected Committee of Managers (ECM). In addition to supporting his own family, he also assisted countless blind men and women start their businesses through BET so they could support themselves and their families.

Greg’s dedication and hard work was shown through his daily commitment to our Lord and Savior starting every morning with confession, prayer, and listening to scripture. Psalm 1 says blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord; and Greg was truly blessed in this way. Although he wasn’t perfect he never hesitated to apologize when he was in the wrong. He led by example and everyone who met him can attest to his kind heart and welcoming spirit.

Needless to say, Greg was a force of nature, and although he was blind, he was determined to provide for his family and give them the life he felt they deserved. His family meant more to him than anything else in the world, something he often mentioned. He was unendingly proud of his wife and every single one of his children and always did his very best to support them.

Even though Greg was no longer in bands, he continued to be a passionate and talented musician. He almost always had his guitar with him, ready to strum out happy birthday or show off his newest song. In recent years, he began recording music again.

Anyone who knew Greg knew that he was the most loving father and husband a family could ask for. Preceded in death by his parents James and Matilda, and his youngest sister Annette, Greg is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Sabrina, his children Elizabeth and her husband Andrew; Christopher; James, his wife Liberty, and their daughter Matilda; Daniel; Elena; Shekinah; Josiah; Micah; and Ian; his brother Harvey and his wife Georgina; his sister Yvonne and her husband Dennis; and sister Agatha and her husband William; numerous nieces, nephews, and a host of other family and dear friends