Lawrence Russell Gregory

Gregory, Lawrence Russell - age 86 of Knoxville, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 18, 2009 at the Holston Valley Hospital in Kingsport, Tennessee. He was born in Cades Cove, Tennessee on June 27, 1923 to Katherine (Tipton) Gregory and William M. Gregory. He moved out of Cades Cove in 1927 to Townsend and then Maryville. He graduated from Everett High School in 1941 and then served in the U.S. Army in Europe and South Pacific. After his military service, he married Edna Staley in 1948 and graduated from the UT Pharmacy School in 1950. During his career, he owned two drug stores in Newport and then practiced pharmacy in Morristown and Knoxville. He and his wife Edna owned Todd and Armistead Drug Store from 1981-1985, where he had worked previously for 12 years. He enjoyed hiking, wildflower gardening, sports, genealogy, history of the East Tennessee region, and his family and friends. In July 2009, Lawrence and Edna moved to the Wexford House in Kingsport. Lawrence is preceded in death by his parents, six brothers and one sister, and his granddaughter Rebecca and grandson John. He is loved and remembered by his wife Edna (Staley) Gregory, sister Katherine Schultz of Maryville, daughter Janna (Gregory) Blackley and husband Doug Blackley of Bristol, Virginia, son David Gregory of Knoxville, son Dan Gregory and wife Donna (Davis) Gregory of Knoxville, son Stan Gregory and wife Kathryn Boyer of Corvallis, Oregon. He deeply loved his grandchildren Rob Blackley, Jonathan Blackley, Sarah (Blackley) Dameron, Kari Gregory, Katie Gregory, Stephen Staley, Claire Staley, Wendy (Davis) Bilek, Chrissey (Davis) Stephens, Leann Rawls, and nine great grandchildren. Family and friends will celebrate his life in a memorial service at Smith Funeral Home in Maryville 6-7 PM on Tuesday, September, 22nd. His family will arrange for a private burial at the Missionary Baptist Church in Cades Cove at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family would treasure short notes and remembrance from friends and family. These remembrances can be sent to The Wexford House, 2421 N. John B. Dennis Hwy. Room 400, Kingsport, TN 37660. Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Lawrence Russell Gregory please visit our Sympathy Store.