Obituaries

Longtime Wall Resident With Manasquan Roots Dies at 80

William Taylor Gregory Jr. dies

Courtesy of Orender Family Home:

William Taylor Gregory Jr., 80, of Manchester, formerly of Wall Township, passed away Sunday, July 20, 2014, after a 10-year struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

"Bill" lived his entire life in the Wall Township area before retiring to Manchester in 2004. He attended Manasquan schools and graduated from Manasquan High School in 1951. He was an Eagle Scout, having been a member of Manasquan Troop 59, where his father had been Scoutmaster for many years.

He was a past member of the Sea Girt Volunteer Fire Company, the Manasquan Kiwanis Club, Raritan Road Runners Motorcycle Club, the New Jersey Professional Florist Association, and the Three Foot Gun Club. He was a current parishioner of Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Manasquan, where he had sung in the choir for many years.

On graduation from high school, Bill enlisted in the Navy and spent much of his Navy career working on U.S. Naval Airships that were patrolling our coasts during the Korean War. After his tour in the Navy, Bill returned to the Wall Township area and worked at and eventually owned the family business, Gregory's Florist, on Eighth Avenue, in Wall.

The business had been founded in 1903 by his grandfather, and closed its doors in 2004. During that time, he had designed for celebrities and provided arrangements for the magnificent lobbies of the Monmouth and Essex and Sussex Hotels in Spring Lake, as well as the Ocean Grove Great Auditorium.

Bill is survived by his wife of 23 years, June (Matson) Gregory; sons, Timothy (Beth) and James of Wall Township; daughter, Lori (James) Talbert of Canton, Ohio; grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. He leaves behind many lifelong friends and other family members from his years in the Wall Township area.

A memorial service will be held at a future date. Donations may be made to Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 6 Osborn Ave., Manasquan, NJ 08736 or the Alzheimer's Association , 1 River Center, Red Bank, NJ 07701 designated for research. Arrangements are under the care of Orender Family Home for Funerals, Manasquan. To send condolences to the family please visit www.orenderfamilyhome.com.


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