Barbara Jean (Boren) Gregory was born on February 10, 1934 in Denison, Texas to William Frank and Ruth Vera (Babcock) Boren. Barbara lived in Denison as a little girl and later settled in McKinney, Texas where she attended school until graduating in 1951. She later attended North Texas College until she met the love of her life, James Howard Gregory at an A&M vs SMU football game in Dallas.

Barbara and James married in 1952 in McKinney, Texas before moving to College Station, Texas. James was in the Air Force and was stationed in Wyoming until being called to Germany.

Barbara, or Mom as her children called her, loved her time in Germany and had many fond memories of their time there. After returning to the United States she and James settled in College Station, Texas where they raised their family.

In 1961, Dad started a job at Ward Lumber in Centerville, Texas which began their life there.

Mom was a little skeptical at first because Centerville was such a small town, but she soon became involved in being the Den Mother to Stewart’s and Ronald’s boy scout troop, room mother to their classes at school and helping with many of the school functions. She also drug Tricia back and forth to ballet lessons in Leona.

Over the years Mom was active in the Band Booster Club, PTA, TOPS Club, Leon County Library, Wild Game Supper and Order of the Eastern Star. She belonged to the United Methodist Church and was saved in 1972. There she led arts and crafts at VBS and was head of the arts and crafts at Lakeview Methodist Church Camp for twentyfive years. Mom loved to socialize, whether at formals in high school, at church events, standing in line at the grocery store or the many functions throughout her lifetime, and was loved by many.

She passed away March 15, 2023 in Madisonville, Texas.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Ruth (Babcock) Boren; her husband of fifty-four years, James Howard Gregory; her son, Stewart Wayne Gregory; and her brother-in-law, Ivan Gregory.

Barbara is survived by her brother, Donald Boren and wife, Carol of Tomball, Texas; her sister-in-law, Lynda (Gregory) Ball and husband, George of College Station, Texas; her son, Ronald Gregory and wife, Denise of Centerville, Texas and her daughter, Tricia (Gregory) Lynch and husband, Bill of Madisonville, Texas; as well as her daughterin- law, Vicki (Hillman) Gregory Mullen and husband, Phillip of Centerville, Texas.

Also left to mourn her loss are her grandchildren, Amy (Gregory) Mangrum, Kim (Gregory) Sisco, Ashley (Gregory) Allen, Lucas Gregory, Lana (Gregory) Marcus, Bert Lynch, Joshua Lynch and Cathrine Lynch; her great-grandchildren, Sydney and Ryder Mangrum, Elias, Avery, Rosemary and Maia Sisco, Leah, Steven and William Allen, Elizabeth, Lane and Hannah Gregory, Becka and Jenna Marcus, Parker Lynch, Hunter, Fisher, Teagan and Savannah Lynch, Katelyn Soniak and Jessica Powell ; two nephews, Parrrish and Todd Boren and a niece, Natalie (Wilson) Wright.

A funeral service was held 2 P.M., Sunday, March 19, 2023 at Walters Funeral Home in Centerville, Texas and presided over by Tuffy Loftin and the Order of the Eastern Star. Burial was in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery on FM 1119 in Leon County, Texas.

Pallbearers: Ronald Gregory, Bill Lynch, Lucas Gregory, Bert Lynch, Josh Lynch, Lawrence Johnson.

Honorary Pallbearers: Robert Cawley, Phillip Mullen, David Marcus, Ben Allen, Jesse Sisco, Brendan Mangrum In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the VBS fund or summer camp fund at the First United Methodist Church in Centerville, Texas or to the Shriner’s Hospital.

The Gregory family wishes to especially thank Ashley Jacobson and the staff of Texas Loving Care in Madisonville for their wonderful care of Mom.

Arrangements were under the direction of Walters Funeral Home, Centerville, Texas