Obit – Mr. Royce Gregory
A loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and a devoted husband to his wife of over sixty-one years, Bonnie, Mr. Royce Gregory succumbed to lung cancer with his family at his bedside. He was pronounced deceased Friday morning April 17, 2026 at the age of 83 at 10:13 a.m. at the Saint Thomas Mid-Town Hospital where he was admitted on April 8th.
Eld. Don Taylor and Eld. Garry “Buster” Drennon officiated at the 3 p.m. Monday afternoon April 20th funeral services from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. Burial was beside his wife and parents in the Amonette-Taylor section at the Dixon Springs Cemetery.
Mr. Gregory was born Royce Allen Gregory in the Maces Hill Community on September 28, 1942 and was one of two sons of well-known Hartsville barber, the late Ernest “Cat” Gregory who died at the age of 73 on October 7, 1992 and Ruby Ballou Gregory who died at the age of 80 on December 7, 1999.
Mr. Gregory was a 1960 graduate of Smith County High School where he majored in agriculture. He was in the Latin and Spanish clubs, member of the Future Farmers of America and played baseball all four years and his junior and senior years was a member of the F.F.A. pig chain and was an F. F. A. secretary his senior year.
The statement made of him in the ’60 annual was; “A good mind possesses a good kingdom.”
At the age of 12, Mr. Gregory was saved under the preaching of the late Eld. Calvin Gregory and on July 30, 1955 was baptized into the full fellowship of the Maces Hill Missionary Baptist Church.
At that same church on June 21, 1962, Mr. Gregory was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, the former Bonnie Lee Middleton of Carthage. She preceded him in death on October 27, 2024 at the age of 81.
The Gregorys were saddened by the death of their son-in-law, Jeffrey Allen “Bodene” Smith, who died at the age of 35 on October 10, 1999 after suffering a massive heart attack.
Mr. Gregory had a storied work career, first as a parts runner for Lebanon Auto Parts, then the same occupation at Charlie’s Auto Parts, later was employed at Jackson Drilling and before retirement was employed by Conrad Construction, all in Lebanon. His work ethic was unequaled having been reared on a Trousdale County farm and being raised to work.
Surviving are his two daughters, Kitty Gregory Smith of the Pea Ridge Community, Karin Gregory Wilkerson and husband Jeff of the Grant Community; brother, Roger Gregory of Nokomis, Florida; three grandchildren, Brandi Smith Patterson and husband Tracy of Watertown, Amber Smith Mitchell and husband Chase of the Elmwood Community, Jessie Smith and wife Elizabeth of the Chestnut Mound Community; five great-grandchildren, Taryne Patterson, Noah and Kaden Smith, Avian and Isla Rose Mitchell.
The Gregory family has requested memorials to the American Cancer Society.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
