Obituary of Ralph Noel Gregory

Ralph Noel Gregory was born April 27, 1935 in Erwin, North Carolina to Carl and Mary Gregory. Growing up on a farm, he attended schoolsin rural North Carolina. Ralph served four years in the United States Air Force, including a tour of duty in England. Ralph was awarded Airman of the Year and recommended to the Air Force Academy.

After the Air Force, Ralph moved to Southern California, graduating from California State University, Long Beach and majoring in Political Science. He met his wife Nancy Hearrell while attending college. During college he had the pleasure of working at the brand new Disneyland theme park, and had the opportunity to meet Mr. Disney. After graduating, he worked for the City of Santa Ana and later, for the City of San Clemente before he and Nancy moved to Daytona Beach, Florida where he started a long career with General Electric corporation working on space programs and then nuclear energy. While in Florida he worked on the Saturn 1 and with 1B Ground Support Equipment (Electric Support Systems). From there, they moved to Huntsville, Alabamawhere he worked for GE providing support at the Marshall Space Flight Center for Saturn V. In 1967 he and wife Nancy moved with their young family to San Jose, California where he worked for GE Nuclear Energy. He retired from General Electric after 33 years and soon thereafter Ralph and Nancy moved to Chico to be close to their family.

Ralph loved and enjoyed being with his family. His hobbies and interests included deep sea fishing, lake and river fishing, hunting, tending to his rose garden, watching Westerns and auto races, and following sports, especially the Rams, Dodgers and Southern Cal Trojans.He was an avid walker in Chico’s California Park neighborhood, and enjoyed chatting with most anyone he encountered, whether on one of his long walks, while at the grocery store or in a doctor’s office, or proprietors tending to a home repair need or service at their residence.

He is survived by wife Nancy; son, Jon Gregory and his wife Karen McHenry and three step grandchildren Madeleine, Sheila and Grace; and his daughter, Debbie Gregory and grandson, Tom Holman.