Dr. David Gregory

GLASGOW - David Gregory died the evening of Jan. 15, 2005, of pancreatic cancer, surrounded by his family, at home in Glasgow.
He was born in Macon, Ga., May 31, 1920, to David A. Gregory, MD, and Mary Williams Gregory. He was raised in northeastern South Dakota, graduating from Milbank High School in 1937, and the University of South Dakota in 1941. He then graduated from Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago, interned at Wesley Memorial Hospital, and married Patricia Elizabeth Tisdale of Grand Forks, North Dakota, in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 18, 1942. Service in the Philippines (1945-1946) as an orthopedic surgeon in the U.S. Army Medical Corps was followed by obstetrical training at St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago, then further study in physiology at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Gregory stepped off the train in Glasgow in the spring of 1948 and lived there the rest of his life, raising his family and caring for his community.
He was of a vanished breed of family doctor, performing surgery, delivering babies, fixing broken bones and counseling generations of northeastern Montanans. Caring for the children of babies he had delivered was among his greatest joys.
He served his profession well as president of the Montana Medical Association, president of the Western Conference of Pre-Paid Medical Plans and member of the board of national Blue Cross/Blue Shield. He also gave his energies to the Boy Scouts, Kiwanis Club, Masonic Lodge, Elk's Lodge and St. Matthew's Episcopal Church. Until he retired in 1988, Dr. Gregory traveled to rural Honduras with Christian medical missions regularly.
After he decided to give up his beloved Cessna Skymaster, his abiding fascination with creatures larger than himself led him off chasing blue and grey whales through southern seas. When fossil remains of fantastic creatures were found close to home, he channeled his still abundant energies into the creation of the Ft. Peck Dam Museum and Interpretive center, especially the paleontology field station. Still an adventurer at age 80, he helped dig fossils in southern China. Dr. Gregory was always an ardent supporter of Valley County, savoring news of economic development plans until just days before his death.
David Gregory is survived by his wife, Patricia of Glasgow; his sons, David (Marge) of Green River, Wyo., John (Mary Beth) of Billings and James (Nancy) of Greensboro, N.C.; and his daughter Patty of Portland, Ore., his devoted caregiver in the final weeks of his life. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his youngest children, Mary Margaret, in 1972 and Thomas George in 2000.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Montana Community Foundation, c/o Ft. Peck Dam Interpretive Center Account, 101 N. Last Chance Gulch, Helena MT, 59601, St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 315 Sixth St. S., Glasgow, MT, 59230, or a memorial of one's choice.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m., at the First Lutheran Church in Glasgow.