A great homegoing was had on the morning of January 9, 2026, when Donald (“Donnie”) Gregory, 88, of Kirksville, Missouri, passed away peacefully in Overland Park, Kansas, surrounded by his loved ones, both on earth and in Heaven.
The son of the late Dennis E. and Lola O. (Filkins) Gregory, Donnie was born June 24, 1937. On October 18, 1958, in Gibbs, Missouri, Donnie was united in marriage to Katheryn Scott of Gibbs, Missouri. Donnie and Katheryn were married for 67 years. Donnie is survived by Katheryn, daughter Lori Ann Gregory of Overland Park, Kansas, grandson, Dylan Scott Gregory (wife: Anna Gregory), of Olathe, Kansas, one pistol of a great granddaughter, Avery Rose Gregory (20 months), and many cherished nieces and nephews.
Donnie was a life-long Kirksville resident. He began his career path delivering papers and working in a grocery store as a child, and early on developed his lifelong reputation as “a worker”. After graduating from high school in 1955 he took up carpentry and house painting and built the two houses (in succession) that his family would call home. He joined the Missouri National Guard in 1961 and served for 6 years. He was never afraid of taking on a side hustle, often working sunup past sundown. Over the years he also farmed (mainly cattle), and he and Katheryn owned various rental properties. Donnie was mentored over the years by several older businessmen in town, and several farmers east of Kirksville who shared their hospitality, knowledge and friendship. In the 1980s, Donnie became employed by the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. He worked in the maintenance department, mainly overseeing remodeling projects and various construction and repairs, until his retirement at age 75. He greatly enjoyed his work and his co-workers.
Donnie was quiet, kind, funny, generous and had a servant’s heart. He enjoyed gardening and taking his prized 1956 Chevy Bel Air to car shows. He developed a love of writing in his late 60s and often shared his faith with others through those writings. Donnie never met a stranger. As neighbors got older, he checked on them and made sure they knew they had a friend. He loved buying and gifting hams at Christmas. He was always willing to pray with you, encourage you, and offer a hand.
Donnie was quite a story and joke teller, and a longtime patron of Rosie’s for breakfast, where he shared meals, stories, and life with many good friends. Many thanks to Rosie’s for feeding him for so many years, and to the other patrons for the companionship provided.
He was a Kirksville housecat, but he did enjoy traveling and visiting family. He and Katheryn visited Kansas City frequently and were present and devoted grandparents. He took his first plane ride in his 40s when he joined a one-month mission trip headed to Papua, New Guinea. Once Dylan was old enough, Donnie enjoyed yearly driving trips with Katheryn, Lori, and Dylan, usually to Florida.
His Christian faith was his guiding light, and he and Katheryn were active members of the First Church of the Nazarene, where Donnie was a member of the choir. Later they became founding members of Cornerstone Church, where Donnie and Bill Smith, the dearest of friends, helped remodel parts of the acquired church building.
Donnie was the last Gregory sibling standing, having been preceded in death by his infant daughter, Vickie Lynn Gregory, his parents, and his four brothers, Oral “Toad” Gregory, Dennis “Doc” Gregory, Richard “Dick” Gregory, and Carlos Wayne “Pete” Gregory, and six sisters, Luella “Sis” Grgurich, Lucille “Cile” Mihalovich, Nettamae Kepheart, Pauline Gregory, Colleen “Coke” Moore, and Phyllis Dolan.
This last year, Donnie and his family were blessed to have an incredible team of caregivers. Those caregivers, Michele, Akiba, Hans, Richard, Araina, and Molly became the dearest of friends and extended family. May they be as richly blessed as they blessed the Gregory family.
Please join the family in remembering Donnie and celebrating his life. Public visitation will be held Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Cornerstone Church, 1702 N. Elson Street, in Kirksville, MO 63501, with a funeral service immediately following at 11:00 a.m.
Pallbearers will be Dylan Gregory, Bill Smith, Jim Darr, Bobby Rogers, John Crnic, Dennis Schultheis, Hans Leine, and Joe Hatcher.
Memorial donations may be made to the Cornerstone Church in Kirksville or to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care of Kansas City and may be left at or mailed to Travis-Noe Funeral Home, P.O. Box 306, Kirksville, MO 63501.