Dr. John R. Gregg

Dr. John Richard Gregg, 92, of Durham, died peacefully on May 27, 2009, at Duke University Medical Center. Born December 23, 1916, in Mobile, Alabama, he was the elder son of John Clarence Gregg and Gladys Moore Gregg. Dr. Gregg was Professor Emeritus, Department of Biological Sciences, Duke University. He obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama, where he was awarded the prestigious William B. Graham prize for Health Science Research. He earned his doctoral degree at Princeton University, after which he joined Columbia University as a Killough Fellow. Dr. Gregg joined the faculty of Johns Hopkins University as an instructor in 1946. He was on the faculty of Columbia University from 1947 to 1957. In 1949, he was a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow at Carlsberg Laboratories in Copenhagen and again in 1953-1954 at London University in England. In 1957 he became Professor of Zoology at Duke University, where he remained until his retirement in 1986. Dr. Gregg held numerous professional offices during his tenure at Duke, including Department of Zoology Chair, Director of Graduate Studies, and Chair of the Subcommittee on Advanced Placement. He was a member of the Harvey Society, American Society of Zoologists, American Association for the Advancement of Science, International Society of Developmental Biologists, and Marine Biological Laboratories, among others. He directed the Institute for Theoretical Biology for NASA-AIBS. Dr. Gregg authored or co-authored 33 publications, including two books. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Dr. Gregg was a skilled English longbow craftsman and archer, and was actively involved in the English Longbow Society. His extensive collection of antique Hausa tribe bows, arrows, and associated artifacts was donated to the Smithsonian Institution. An avid and comprehensive reader, Dr. Gregg retained a life-long love of language and was a devoted enthusiast of proper grammar and phrasing. He loved the North Carolina coast, and for 50 years enjoyed the sunsets at Emerald Isle and clamming in Bogue Sound with his family. Dr. Gregg is remembered lovingly by his wife, Jan; his daughters, Jenny Bradley and husband Dave, Julia Kramer, and Jill Ullman; grandchildren, Laura Desai and husband Kam, Gregg Stone, Carson and Kevin Kramer, and John and Sam Ullman; sisters-in-law, Frances Lambert and Sarah Gregg; nieces and nephews Austin and Cynthia Gregg, Glenn Lambert, Jr, and Susan Howe. A celebration of Dr. Gregg’s life will be held on June 27 at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hollow Rock Store Project, Preservation Durham, 200 N Mangum St, Durham, NC 27701. John and Jan saved the historic store on Erwin Road many years ago, and it will be moved from their property to the newly created New Hope Creek Preserve. All donations will be used to fund this relocation and subsequent restoration. See http://www.rtpnet.org/newhope/preserve/hrstore.htm. Alternately, donations may be made payable to Duke University for the Biology Graduate Student Discretionary Fund, c/o Mr. Jim Tunney, Dept. of Biology, Box 90338, Duke University, Durham NC 27708.