Ruth Gregory

Ruth Gregory passed away March 17, 2024, leaving behind fond memories and sweet smiles for her family and many friends. She loved her family, her church family, her community, and UNC basketball. She always had a twinkle in her steely blue eyes, a hug for you, and something to tell you.

Bessie and Lloyd Johnson named their baby girl, born August 31, 1934, Eleanor Ruth. She grew up in Lillington, North Carolina, and married a local boy named Sherwood Gregory. She and Sherwood resided for many years on Gregory Circle in the Buies Creek area. They enjoyed fishing together at Salter Path when Salter Path was a small, fishing village.

Ruth, along with her five brothers and sisters and their families, made even the most mundane tasks fun. “Putting up corn” took on a new meaning when the Johnsons did it under the tobacco barn shelter using the burners in the tobacco barn to blanche the corn. Aunt Ruth provided the fried chicken at family events and everyone looked forward to her apple pie.

Ruth was a lifelong member of Neill’s Creek Baptist Church. She hardly ever missed a service or program, including Vacation Bible School. She took delight in supporting the church’s  various ministries. She will forever be known as the “tea lady” because she made the tea for church events in a large vessel using a boat paddle to stir in the sugar. There is a spot on “her” pew that will be remembered for some time to come.

Ruth enjoyed people. She worked for the Harnett County School Food Services for 16 ½ years before retiring. She worked primarily in the Shawtown Elementary School cafeteria, but also worked in other schools when needed. Ruth served as a monitor on the school bus that transported the special needs children and she cared for them deeply.  In retirement, she hosted at Howard’s BBQ in Lillington where she made everyone feel welcomed.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Sherwood Gregory, and her brothers Harold Johnson and Reid Johnson. She will be dearly missed by her sisters Carol Hart and Gladys Woodall (Marshall), her brother Carl Johnson (Laverne), and her many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and -nephews, and great-grandnieces and -nephews.

The family will hold a private burial service. There will be a celebration of life service at Neill’s Creek Baptist Church, 4200 Neill’s Creek Road, Angier, North Carolina, on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 4:00 pm. The family will receive friends immediately before the service, from 3:20 to 3:50.

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