Doris King Gregory Deits

She was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and attended high school in Phoenix.

In 1946, she met Virgil Gregory in church. They married in 1946 and moved to California to work for Douglas Aircraft. They soon moved back to the Phoenix area, where their eldest child, Michael, was born. They decided to move to the Albany, Missouri, area to help Virgil’s parents run the Plainville County Home. Susan and Mark were born there.

In 1956, they moved back to Phoenix where Virgil worked for Nabisco and Doris returned to school, earning her RN degree. She graduated in 1961 and worked as a surgical nurse at the County Hospital in Phoenix.

In 1963, Virgil and Doris decided to move back to the midwest and the farm, west of Blockton. Gregory Lake became a central place of fun, BBQ, music and water skiing. Doris worked in Ringgold County Hospital in Mount Ayr, Iowa, St. Francis in Maryville, Missouri, Bedford, Iowa Community Schools as a school nurse and lastly became the coordinator/director of nursing at Southwestern Community College in Creston Iowa. From 1970 to 1984, she was a pioneer, innovator and very instrumental in the development of the nursing program.

In 1985, the farming crisis necessitated yet another move, back to Sun City, Arizona, where the couple ran an assisted living center for several years. In 1992, they divorced. Virgil passed away in 1999.

In 2001, Doris remarried, to Chris Deits of Sun City, Arizona. They traveled in an RV and spent many happy hours in a cabin owned by Chris in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado. They enjoyed tennis, golf, and Doris enjoyed playing her "uke" in an adult uke club.

She leaves many friends and loved ones. She leaves her loving husband, Chris Deits, currently of Peoria, Arizona; beloved children, Sue Damitz of Lee’s Summit, Missouri and Mark Gregory of Bedford , Iowa. Michael passed in 2017. She leaves her loved stepchildren, Steven and Scott Deits, and Karen Deits Carleson currently of Colorado.

She leaves beloved nieces and nephews, whom she adored. She has beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren and step grandchildren.Many blessings to you all. A life well lived.