Mr. Michael Greggs

Aunt Josephine and family, I'm sorry for your loss, I'm sorry I couldn't be there for the service.. I will miss his beautiful smile, his happiness he showed me when he seen me, he was a beautiful person inside as well as out. I will miss him much, but know all the memories about him lives in our hearts and minds forever. Stay strong I love you all, God bless, Laura

Michael "Malibu" Greggs, I will miss you, my brotha! It was a pleasure knowing you, and hanging out back in the day. With everyone moving out of the City, and the City tearing down the neighborhoods, I know we lost touch. However, social media has now provided a way for old friends to reconnect. Unfortunately, about two weeks into establishing a way to contact you, you have passed. I'm still blown away by your loss.

Brotha, I guess what I'm saying is that we often take life for granted, and assume that we'll have another day, but our tomorrows are never promised. Therefore, I humbly ask that you forgive me, my good brotha!

May God keep you surrounded by his protective hands, and may he breathe his breath of peace and comfort upon you, always. And, may he give your family strength and support during these days of mourning, and may smiled upon all of your family and fill their cups with goodness. Amen!

. . . until we meet again, my good brotha!

Your brother in spirit,

Alex Humphrey

My dear cousin.... I will miss your dimples that smiled at me no matter when we saw eachother. I feel good knowing that now those dimples are now big as heck up there with Peachies! Tell Eunice and James I said hi! I can only imagine how turned up things are there with all of you with Wanda and Roy! In the arms of the Alpha and Omega you suffer no more!!! Auntie Josephine I am sorry that my boys and I are not there for you. We love you

Greg I will miss those dimples and the way you lit up when and where ever we saw each other. I know the two greatest smiles in our family have been reunited. You and Peachie must be so turned up in the arms of the Alpha and Omega! Say hi to Eunice and James! Sorry I couldn't be at the service for you Auntie. I love you.

Josephine,
I'm sorry for your loss and for what you're going through right now. I know you and all the family have lots of good memories of Michael and these memories and your closeness to the rest of your family will get you through this. I love you.

No more pain...only peace.
Love, The Joneses

Go Down, Death
James Weldon Johnson, 1871 - 1938
(Edited by Pamela Jones for Michael Greggs)

(A Funeral Sermon)

Weep not, weep not,
He is not dead;
He's resting in the bosom of Jesus.
Heart-broken husband--weep no more;
Grief-stricken son--weep no more;
Left-lonesome daughter --weep no more;
He only just gone home.

Day before yesterday morning,
God was looking down from his great, high heaven,
Looking down on all his children,
And his eye fell on Brother Michael,
Tossing on his bed of pain.
And God's big heart was touched with pity,
With the everlasting pity.

And God sat back on his throne,
And he commanded that tall, bright angel standing at his right hand:
Call me Death!
And that tall, bright angel cried in a voice
That broke like a clap of thunder:
Call Death!--Call Death!
And the echo sounded down the streets of heaven
Till it reached away back to that shadowy place,
Where Death waits with his pale, white horses.

And Death heard the summons,
And he leaped on his fastest horse,
Pale as a heet in the moonlight.
Up the golden street Death galloped,
And the hooves of his horses struck fire from the gold,
But they didn't make no sound.
Up Death rode to the Great White Throne,
And waited for God's command.

And God said: Go down, Death, go down,
Go down to Oakland, California,
Down in Kaiser Permanente,
And find Brother Michael.
He's borne the burden and heat of the day,
He's labored long in my vineyard,
And he's tired--
He's weary--
Go down, Death, and bring him to me.

And Death didn't say a word,
But he loosed the reins on his pale, white horse,
And he clamped the spurs to his bloodless sides,
And out and down he rode,
Through heaven's pearly gates,
Past suns and moons and stars;
on Death rode,
Leaving the lightning's flash behind;
Straight down he came.

While we were watching round his bed,
He turned his eyes and looked away,
He saw what we couldn't see;
He saw Old Death. He saw Old Death
Coming like a falling star.
But Death didn't frighten Brother Michael;
He looked to him like a welcome friend.
And he whispered to us: I'm going home,
And he smiled and closed his eyes.

And Death took his up like a baby,
And he lay in his icy arms,
But he didn't feel no chill.
And death began to ride again--
Up beyond the evening star,
Into the glittering light of glory,
On to the Great White Throne.
And there he laid Brother Michael
On the loving breast of Jesus.

And Jesus took his own hand and wiped away his tears,
And he smoothed the furrows from his face,
And the angels sang a little song,
And Jesus rocked him in his arms,
And kept a-saying: Take your rest,
Take your rest.

Weep not--weep not,
He is not dead;
He's resting in the bosom of Jesus.

Offering our deepest condolences during this difficult time.