Wilma Gregory

1918 - 2019

Wilma Strom Gregory, 101-year-old WWII veteran, mother of 5, grandmother of 6, and great-grandmother of 15 took her final journey on 14 December 2019 following a stroke. She was surrounded with love at home in Homer by her family and friends.

Born on 21 April 1918 in Minnesota, youngest of five, the only girl with brothers five to ten years older, Wilma learned to hold her own as she grew up. She learned to drive at 12, graduated from high school in 3 years, then moved to Minneapolis, working various jobs from housekeeping to a Montgomery Ward store. Music was a big part of her life and she learned to play a button accordion and Hawaiian steel guitar, often sharing that music in gatherings of friends.

When the US entered World War II, Wilma went to aircraft school in Omaha, Nebraska learning to read blueprints and rivet metal. She drove to California to work, then returned to Omaha's Aircraft Modification Center. She joined the Women's Army Corps (WAC) studying nursing, finished the course and was sent to California to work in a hospital. WWII ended and she was released from the Army. She worked in Minneapolis and earned her pilot's license. A brother moved to Anchorage, Alaska, and his family was joining him so Wilma decided go too.

In Anchorage she worked for CAA (later FAA) where she met her future husband and they were married four months later. Art Gregory had a homestead outside of Anchorage where they lived for 11 years, welcomed two daughters and two sons, then moved to Homer where their third son was born. They raised strawberries and potatoes to sell, also raised vegetables, chickens, rabbits, and calves for meat and a cow for milk, with their boys later adding horses to the farm. They started a custodial business, cleaning various buildings including the Homer High School, Homer Hospital and Homer Electric Association. After 16 years in Homer they moved to Courtney, BC, then to upstate New York where they had a maple syrup operation. When Art and their youngest son started talking about moving again, Wilma said if she moved any where she was going back to Alaska. The draw of grandkids surely had a hand in that desire. They lived in Juneau about 4 years then moved back to Homer where they built a small cozy one-bedroom home.

Wilma's life was full as well as challenging, which most women of her time did not experience: learning to fly, moving all the way to Alaska, homesteading, moving numerous times, raising five children, then living on her own for 25 years after Art passed away until finally deciding to move in with her daughter one year ago.

After investigating the Baha'i Faith just after getting married, Wilma declared her belief in Baha'u'llah and was a firm, unwavering believer all the rest of her life. She was an unassuming, hard-working, quiet woman. Her family often recalls instances when she would sit in her chair crocheting with a hint of a smile on her face as life went on around her, never even hinting that she knew a better way of doing things, or of a secret about to happen. She was able to continue reading and crocheting until the end of her life. She was loving and accepting of her whole family, and her legacy will live on through them. Loved by all these many years, she will be sorely missed on this earthly plane but lovingly welcomed by those who passed on to the next world before her.

She was buried near Art in the Hickerson Memorial Cemetery outside Homer. A Celebration of Life was held on Friday January 3rd in Homer.

Wilma was predeceased by her son Steve, and her husband Art. She is survived by: daughter, Janice (Jerry) Taylor of Juneau; daughter, Gayle (Craig) Forrest of Homer; son, Jim (DJ) Gregory of Sterling, and son, Burt (Patty) Gregory of Anchor Point. Also surviving are grandchildren Janel Taylor and Greg Taylor both of Juneau; Gwen Reider and Dan Forrest both of Washington; Dianna Gregory of New Mexico and Jim Gregory of Colorado; gr-grandchildren Garret, RIgdon, Trygve, Shawn, Dylan, Emily, Erin, William, Anne, Isaac, Arthur, Ashley, Brandon, Jimmy and Aurora; plus many extended family and close friends.

Your memories of Wilma would be welcomed by the family and can be mailed to Janice Taylor 8937 Trio St., Juneau AK 99801, or Gayle Forrest PO Box 15261, Fritz Creek, AK 99603. Memories will be shared with all the family.