Rodger Gregory
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RODGER "ROD" GREGORY
Rodger "Rod" Gregory, of Panama City Beach, FL passed away on January 24th, at Ascension-Sacred Heart Bay Medical Center due to issues related to COVID-19. He was 82.
Rod was born in November 1938 in Winfield, KS, to parents Walter and Mary (Crum) Gregory. He graduated from El Dorado High School in 1956. He was united in marriage with his wife Sue in 1960.
Rod had a 35-year career with the Kansas Department of Transportation starting out as an Engineering Technician and retiring as the Area Maintenance Superintendant. He held many other jobs including, running his own surveying business, working at McGee enterprises and starting several small businesses with some of his very close friends. While he loved these jobs, more than that, he loved the people with whom he worked. He was fun-loving, always quick with a practical joke or prank and a story-teller that kept family and friends around the dinner table for hours after the meal.
In his free time, Rod was an active athlete and avid golfer. He played softball into his 30's, then took up running - where he found his true passion. He ran multiple 10Ks and kept at it into his 60's.
Through local sports he made many connections. He played softball with the Winfield State Hospital softball team, coached little league baseball and coached women's softball. The group he played softball with, led by Charles "Chuck" Watson, the pioneer of the Kansas Special Olympics, raised money for the Kansas Special Olympics and helped host it. He also connected with the little leaguers he coached and many of them eventually worked with him at the State Highway.
Rod and his wife Sue earned their private pilots' licenses together and had joint ownership in an airplane. They enjoyed multiple cross-country trips to visit friends and family in their plane. In addition to flying, he enjoyed travel and had multiple cruises and trips with friends to the Caribbean, Europe and the Pacific.
After retirement, Rod and Sue moved full-time to The Villages, FL. While living in The Villages, he continued his active life. He worked for 20 years on the staff of multiple golf courses for the Villages Community Development District, enjoyed golfing and was a member in multiple community organizations, including the Corvette Club, Central-States Club and Heart of Dixie Club.
Rod and Sue have always been very active in their church and their faith was central to their lives. In Winfield he was a member and served at Millington Street Baptist church. When he moved to Florida, he attended and was a deacon at Leesburg Baptist Church.
In 2017, Rod and Sue returned to Winfield and resided in Cumbernauld Village. They recently moved to Panama City Beach, FL to be near their son.
Rod is survived by his wife, Sue Gregory and his two sons and their wives, Mike and Jenny (Gibson) Gregory of Panama City Beach, FL and Jon and Gretchen (Calvin) Gregory of Fountain, CO. He has
5 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home
2403 Harrison Avenue
Panama City, FL 32405
www.kentforestlawn.com