Mildred Gregory was born June 8, 1919 in Shelby, Mississippi. Her parents, Pearl and Andrew Gregory, had five children, of which Mildred is the second oldest. During the Great Depression (1929), the Gregory family moved from Shelby to a sharecropping farm in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Mildred worked on this sharecropping farm, as a young girl, putting in long hours of backbreaking and exhausting work for very little pay. Even though the work was grueling, some of her fondest memories of the farm were growing and producing their own food. She loved the fresh fruits and vegetables that they were able to keep and enjoy as sharecroppers on that farm.
As she grew older, she became dissatisfied with being taken advantaged of financially by the owner of the sharecropping farm. So, during her early 20’s, she decided to leave the farm and moved to East St. Louis, Illinois and where she married Jessie Davis. Eventually, Mildred had six children of her own. After living in East St. Louis for some years, she moved to Chicago, Illinois for a short period of time. From Chicago, she moved to Hopkins Park, Illinois, but, eventually, returned back to and settled in East St. Louis, Illinois.
Over the years Mildred worked a variety of jobs which included dressmaking in a garment factory and being employed as a hotel service worker. But, the job she said she received the most satisfaction from was as a site manager of a senior citizen’s nutritional program. She often spoke of the fulfillment it gave her. She enjoyed taking care of her elderly participants.
Mildred is the Matriarch of the Gregory family. She is the oldest living Gregory. Over her 102 years she has amassed a lineage of sons, daughters, grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and, great-great-great grandchildren. She has earned and earns the love, admiration and respect from everyone with whom she comes in contact.
On June 8, 2021, she celebrated her 102nd birthday.
At 102 years young, Mrs. Gregory continues to be living proof that you never get too old to learn. With this in mind, she was a frequent observer of conversations between her youngest son, Dwayne, and Edward Brown, the president of New Age Truth of Missouri. And, when during the year 2000, Dwayne decided to join the New Age Truth of Missouri membership, this peaked her curiosity and got her attention. Mrs. Gregory knew how serious her son was about constructive meaningful conversation and learning new things. So, after observing her son’s conduct and deportment, she decided to attend some of the meetings. And in, 2003, she decided to join the group because she realized that life is about improvement; and as long as she is living, it is her responsibility to learn more.
The membership of New Age Truth, affectionately calls her “Grandma Gregory” and enjoyed including her in all meetings, activities, trips and outings that she has been able to participate and attend.
Over the years, Grandma Gregory, has proven that she can keep up with the youngest of us and that she is mentally sharp as a tack, feisty and will without hestiation unabashedly voice her opinion. And at the conclusion of her comments, she often retorts, “am I right?”
Grandma Gregory is indeed an inspiration and a manifestation of encouragement to us all that “life can be beautiful once learned how to be lived.”
Mildred now resides in a senior citizen assisted living complex in Bridgeton, Missouri. She’s shown much love and care from the nursing staff in her building. She continues to enjoy visits from her family, her New Age Truth family and friends. She remains up to date and sharp as a tack!