Ann Gregory

January 10, 1934 - May 4, 2025
Thelma 'Ann' Gregory, age 91, passed away peacefully May 4, 2025 at Villa Marin in San Rafael, California after a long and vibrant life. Born on January 10, 1934 in Vancouver, Canada, the only child of William Maurice and Rosalind Greenslade, she moved from tiny Crescent Beach, British Columbia to bustling San Francisco with her parents in 1946 when she was twelve. A bright and gifted student, she attended Everett Junior High and graduated valedictorian of Mission High School in 1951, receiving a full year's scholarship to U.C. Berkeley. Unfortunately, pneumonia and a long hospitalization ended her college career in her freshman year.
Ann married high school classmate and sweetheart Joseph Lewis Keller in February 1952. He was soon drafted into the United States Marine Corps, and they moved together to Santa Ana for his basic training. After his deployment to Korea, Ann moved back to San Francisco, and began a 10-year career with Pacific Gas & Electric Company. She and Lewis parted ways and eventually divorced.
Ann met the love of her life and future husband Donald Gregory in December 1958, while he was on a temporary work assignment at PG&E in San Francisco. Ann married Don at the Presidio Chapel on November 20, 1961, becoming Mrs. Ann Gregory. Their daughter Linda was born the following summer and Ann became a full-time homemaker. In 1963 they left the foggy Sunset District and moved into a newly built home in sunny Terra Linda. Their son Mitchell was born the following year. Ann quickly became active in her new community, serving on the Santa Margarita School PTA and as a Sunny Hills Guild member, creating stupendous handmade piñatas with only balloons, newspaper, paste, colored tissue paper and glue for autumn's annual Grape Festival fundraiser supporting youth mental health programs.
Always a scholar, Ann went back to college, graduating with an Associates Degree from College of Marin in 1973 as her proud family cheered her on. She returned to the workforce in 1978 and worked for the county of Marin for 16 years in the municipal court system, first in the traffic division and then as a courtroom clerk. After retiring in 1994, she continued working part-time for Marin's Peace Conversion Commission and volunteered for both the District Attorney's office and Marin County Association of Retired Employees, MCARE.
Ann was a deeply committed advocate for Marin County employees and retirees, finding purpose and pleasure as Editor-in-Chief of MCARE's monthly Keeping in Touch newsletter for a decade, and ultimately serving on the executive board in every position at least once, and as President twice. For many years she represented MCARE as their delegate at California Retired County Employees Association conferences. Her dedication to her community was further expressed through her active involvement in many organizations, including Northbay Footprint Chapter, Bay Area Thunderbird Owner's Club, Marin Rod & Gun Club, Marin Genealogical Society, San Rafael Elks and Santa Cop.
In retirement, she and Don enjoyed expeditions to the Galapagos, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Japan and Tahiti with local organizations, including the Orinda Hiking Club and Sons in Retirement. She and Don explored much of the United States. They loved and returned regularly to their "country home" in Urich, Missouri. Of her many travel adventures, rafting the Colorado River on a 13 day trip was an unforgettable highlight.
Ann's fondest delight were her grandchildren whom she is survived by: Matthew and Eddie Grey of Terra Linda, Michael and Katherine Gregory of San Diego, and Menemsha Abeyasekera and Jeffrey Grey of Maine. She especially loved decorating and welcoming family members home for her favorite holiday, Christmas.
Her family is deeply grateful to her adept and devoted caregivers at Villa Marin Skilled Nursing, where she spent most of her last three months following a series of strokes. She is deeply missed and lovingly remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, an active citizen, caring community leader, and a friend and neighbor. Those who desire may make contributions in her memory to the Marin Retirement Communities Scholarship fund at Marin Community Foundation (marincf.org).