d/o Louis and Ida (Kenney) Samson; w/o John Francis Gregory, whom died in 1964
She left home after graduating from Lancaster Academy in 1939 and studied at Bay Path Institute in Springfield, Ma., where she received her diploma in 1940. Virginia lived and worked in Springfield for the duration of World War II and then married John Francis Gregory of Worcester on August 4, 1945. They settled in Worcester to raise their family of three boys, John, Michael, and Stephen.
In the winter of 1958, Brother Chad, then Headmaster of Saint John's High School, hired Virginia as the first school secretary. The school faculty and staff consisted of twelve Xaverian Brothers and Mrs. Gregory. She would serve as the administrative assistant for two subsequent Headmasters, Brother Joseph Gerard and Brother Conal, finally retiring in 2001 after forty three and a half years. Her roles also included being Registrar, Secretary to the Board of Trustees, second mother and sometime nurse and even seamstress for a multitude of Saint John's men. She supported the students in all of their endeavors, from the Spring Show to her favorite sport of Basketball. In 2010 the School recognized her service and her pioneering work as the First Lady of Saint John's by inducting her as its first Honorary Alumna. In 2017 Saint John's opened the Gregory Academic Center to honor her work and that of her son Stephen.
Virginia was a person of great faith, courage, loyalty, and devotion. Her faith was tested when her husband John died suddenly in January, 1964, but she persevered. Much of her life's service centered around the Church. She volunteered for many years at the Immaculate Conception Bingo and was secretary for the Parish Council. Sorting clothes at Saint Stephen's Thrift Shop was a Saturday morning ritual. She was a loyal member of the Guild of Our Lady of Providence, Saint Mary's Women's Guild, the Mother's Guild at Saint John's, and the Calvary Monastery Guild in Shrewsbury. She was unstinting in her service, but she studiously avoided the limelight. After she retired she was a daily communicant at Saint Mary's. Her devotion matched her faith, and she prayed daily to the Blessed Mother.
An avid reader all her life, Virginia also loved to travel and for many years she headed south during the February school vacation, and during the summer to many parts of the country and to Europe.
She is survived by three sons. Virginia leaves her youngest sister, Daphne Merrow of Windham, New Hampshire. Her sister Paulina Driscoll died in 2004.
Published by Worcester Telegram & Gazette from Oct. 28 to Oct. 29, 2019
She left home after graduating from Lancaster Academy in 1939 and studied at Bay Path Institute in Springfield, Ma., where she received her diploma in 1940. Virginia lived and worked in Springfield for the duration of World War II and then married John Francis Gregory of Worcester on August 4, 1945. They settled in Worcester to raise their family of three boys, John, Michael, and Stephen.
In the winter of 1958, Brother Chad, then Headmaster of Saint John's High School, hired Virginia as the first school secretary. The school faculty and staff consisted of twelve Xaverian Brothers and Mrs. Gregory. She would serve as the administrative assistant for two subsequent Headmasters, Brother Joseph Gerard and Brother Conal, finally retiring in 2001 after forty three and a half years. Her roles also included being Registrar, Secretary to the Board of Trustees, second mother and sometime nurse and even seamstress for a multitude of Saint John's men. She supported the students in all of their endeavors, from the Spring Show to her favorite sport of Basketball. In 2010 the School recognized her service and her pioneering work as the First Lady of Saint John's by inducting her as its first Honorary Alumna. In 2017 Saint John's opened the Gregory Academic Center to honor her work and that of her son Stephen.
Virginia was a person of great faith, courage, loyalty, and devotion. Her faith was tested when her husband John died suddenly in January, 1964, but she persevered. Much of her life's service centered around the Church. She volunteered for many years at the Immaculate Conception Bingo and was secretary for the Parish Council. Sorting clothes at Saint Stephen's Thrift Shop was a Saturday morning ritual. She was a loyal member of the Guild of Our Lady of Providence, Saint Mary's Women's Guild, the Mother's Guild at Saint John's, and the Calvary Monastery Guild in Shrewsbury. She was unstinting in her service, but she studiously avoided the limelight. After she retired she was a daily communicant at Saint Mary's. Her devotion matched her faith, and she prayed daily to the Blessed Mother.
An avid reader all her life, Virginia also loved to travel and for many years she headed south during the February school vacation, and during the summer to many parts of the country and to Europe.
She is survived by three sons. Virginia leaves her youngest sister, Daphne Merrow of Windham, New Hampshire. Her sister Paulina Driscoll died in 2004.
Published by Worcester Telegram & Gazette from Oct. 28 to Oct. 29, 2019
d/o Louis and Ida (Kenney) Samson; w/o John Francis Gregory, whom died in 1964
She left home after graduating from Lancaster Academy in 1939 and studied at Bay Path Institute in Springfield, Ma., where she received her diploma in 1940. Virginia lived and worked in Springfield for the duration of World War II and then married John Francis Gregory of Worcester on August 4, 1945. They settled in Worcester to raise their family of three boys, John, Michael, and Stephen.
In the winter of 1958, Brother Chad, then Headmaster of Saint John's High School, hired Virginia as the first school secretary. The school faculty and staff consisted of twelve Xaverian Brothers and Mrs. Gregory. She would serve as the administrative assistant for two subsequent Headmasters, Brother Joseph Gerard and Brother Conal, finally retiring in 2001 after forty three and a half years. Her roles also included being Registrar, Secretary to the Board of Trustees, second mother and sometime nurse and even seamstress for a multitude of Saint John's men. She supported the students in all of their endeavors, from the Spring Show to her favorite sport of Basketball. In 2010 the School recognized her service and her pioneering work as the First Lady of Saint John's by inducting her as its first Honorary Alumna. In 2017 Saint John's opened the Gregory Academic Center to honor her work and that of her son Stephen.
Virginia was a person of great faith, courage, loyalty, and devotion. Her faith was tested when her husband John died suddenly in January, 1964, but she persevered. Much of her life's service centered around the Church. She volunteered for many years at the Immaculate Conception Bingo and was secretary for the Parish Council. Sorting clothes at Saint Stephen's Thrift Shop was a Saturday morning ritual. She was a loyal member of the Guild of Our Lady of Providence, Saint Mary's Women's Guild, the Mother's Guild at Saint John's, and the Calvary Monastery Guild in Shrewsbury. She was unstinting in her service, but she studiously avoided the limelight. After she retired she was a daily communicant at Saint Mary's. Her devotion matched her faith, and she prayed daily to the Blessed Mother.
An avid reader all her life, Virginia also loved to travel and for many years she headed south during the February school vacation, and during the summer to many parts of the country and to Europe.
She is survived by three sons. Virginia leaves her youngest sister, Daphne Merrow of Windham, New Hampshire. Her sister Paulina Driscoll died in 2004.
Published by Worcester Telegram & Gazette from Oct. 28 to Oct. 29, 2019
She left home after graduating from Lancaster Academy in 1939 and studied at Bay Path Institute in Springfield, Ma., where she received her diploma in 1940. Virginia lived and worked in Springfield for the duration of World War II and then married John Francis Gregory of Worcester on August 4, 1945. They settled in Worcester to raise their family of three boys, John, Michael, and Stephen.
In the winter of 1958, Brother Chad, then Headmaster of Saint John's High School, hired Virginia as the first school secretary. The school faculty and staff consisted of twelve Xaverian Brothers and Mrs. Gregory. She would serve as the administrative assistant for two subsequent Headmasters, Brother Joseph Gerard and Brother Conal, finally retiring in 2001 after forty three and a half years. Her roles also included being Registrar, Secretary to the Board of Trustees, second mother and sometime nurse and even seamstress for a multitude of Saint John's men. She supported the students in all of their endeavors, from the Spring Show to her favorite sport of Basketball. In 2010 the School recognized her service and her pioneering work as the First Lady of Saint John's by inducting her as its first Honorary Alumna. In 2017 Saint John's opened the Gregory Academic Center to honor her work and that of her son Stephen.
Virginia was a person of great faith, courage, loyalty, and devotion. Her faith was tested when her husband John died suddenly in January, 1964, but she persevered. Much of her life's service centered around the Church. She volunteered for many years at the Immaculate Conception Bingo and was secretary for the Parish Council. Sorting clothes at Saint Stephen's Thrift Shop was a Saturday morning ritual. She was a loyal member of the Guild of Our Lady of Providence, Saint Mary's Women's Guild, the Mother's Guild at Saint John's, and the Calvary Monastery Guild in Shrewsbury. She was unstinting in her service, but she studiously avoided the limelight. After she retired she was a daily communicant at Saint Mary's. Her devotion matched her faith, and she prayed daily to the Blessed Mother.
An avid reader all her life, Virginia also loved to travel and for many years she headed south during the February school vacation, and during the summer to many parts of the country and to Europe.
She is survived by three sons. Virginia leaves her youngest sister, Daphne Merrow of Windham, New Hampshire. Her sister Paulina Driscoll died in 2004.
Published by Worcester Telegram & Gazette from Oct. 28 to Oct. 29, 2019
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