Edythe Gregory

The Home Going Celebration
Of Edythe Edlyn Gregory


Affectionately known as “Edie Bedee”, Edythe Edlyn Bentley Gregory was born to Robert Bentley and Elnora (Cooper) Bentley on February 8, 1926 in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. She was the eighth of nine children; Harold, Juanita, Karl, Kaye, Grant, Virginia, Frederick and Lois all of whom preceded her in death. She attended Charleroi High School and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State Teacher’s College in 1948. Edythe briefly taught school in Baltimore, Maryland before moving to Detroit, Michigan where several of her siblings had relocated from PA.
In 1951 she married the love of her life, Pharmacist, Postal supervisor and World War II Veteran, John Allen Gregory Jr., Kappa Alpha Phi. He preceded her in death on March 10, 1996. From this wonderful union, John and Edythe had two children, John Allen III and Wanda Gayle. Together they attended Berea St. Paul United Methodist Church where Edythe, always the consummate Teacher, instructed Sunday school for many years.
Born to be a teacher, Edythe taught English for thirty years at Bishop Junior High and Knudsen Junior High in Detroit MI. Always creative and innovative, she often took her students outside of the traditional brick walls to recite and create poetry on the lawn under the sunlit sky. There are also numerous family and friends who now have PhD’s by their name because she helped them to obtain their doctorate by assisting them in the verbiage of their doctoral dissertation. She retired in 1984 to help raise her granddaughter Shauna.
Edythe was a remarkable woman. She is lovingly remembered for reciting poetry (The Creation), singing and playing the piano (Indian Love Call), goodnight songs (Little boy you had a busy day) and Thanksgiving dinner. We all remember Thanksgiving! The Gregory home was filled with family gatherings and holiday parties. There were Bridge Parties, study parties, learning games, games for fun, family meetings for the Bentley’s and the Gregory’s and lots and lots of laughter and love. We are truly one family!
She leaves to rejoice in her legacy, her son and daughter, John (Laura) and Wanda (Willie), two brother-in-laws, Berran and Lee, three sister-in-laws, Juanita, Clara and Eva; eight precious grandchildren, LaShauna Monique (Ken) (daughter of Eunice and John III), Veronica Gayle (Christopher), John Allen IV, TJ and Tawan (children of John III and Laura), Michael and Markus (brothers of LaShauna and sons of Eunice) and, Kimberly (Tim) stepdaughter of Wanda. Also five great grandchildren, Khary, Kayla, Kennedy, Taylor and Markayla in Detroit and four great grandchildren in Georgia, Jovon, Bianca, Jordon and Jared. Her loving memory is also celebrated by her honorary daughters, Roxanne and Eunice, honorary grandson Carlton, close family friend Donna and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.