Barb was born January 1, 1933 in Rock Island, IL to Paul and Mary Lou (Haskell) Hickman. Paul and Mary Lou were great people who instilled in Barb values, love, and humor that she would carry with her in life. Barb graduated from Rock Island High School in 1950 and proudly identified herself as a “RI Rock.” Attending Western Illinois University, Barb met the love of her life Robert D. (Bob) Gregory, and they were married in 1951. In Knoxville, IL, Barb and Bob started their family, which would eventually include a daughter and three sons. They later lived in Bettendorf, IA in the 1960s and moved their family to Raytown, MO in 1970. In the mid-1980s, Bob’s career took him and Barb to the Philadelphia, PA area. They spent the remainder of their happy marriage there until Bob’s death in 1999. She then moved back to the Kansas City area, where she would live for the remainder of her life.
Above all, Barb cherished her family and friends. Bob was, to say the least, a bit of a character and a force of nature, but together they formed a unique, loving bond that endeared them to (and made life fun for) their children, extended family, and many friends that they made along the way. Laughter and jokes, probably some of which would not be appropriate to repeat here, were a constant presence in the Gregory household. She absolutely adored and would do anything for her children (Robyn, Mike, Chip, and Patrick), grandchildren, and great-grandchild. Barb formed lifelong and unbreakable bonds with her siblings, Marianne and Paul, as well as with her daughters- and sons-in-law, and many nieces, nephews and other relatives, who all often looked to her as a source of inspiration, advice, or simply just a good conversation. She likewise performed that role for her many friends, including those who thought of Barb as a second mother.
In addition to fully enjoying entertaining and being with family, Barb had a robust interest in current events and politics—she treasured learning about different people and cultures. For the past several years, Barb loved social media and (reportedly) may have been known to “like” a political post or two. But Barb respected various and new ideas, and you could always discuss the news of the day with her. She would never let any differences in opinion get in the way of what mattered most—family and friends.
Barb also loved animals. Bob and Barb relished their pets including two beloved Irish Setters, other dogs of various and sometimes indeterminate breeds, and almost countless cherished cats. To be honest, a few of these cats were (with reason) not so cherished by her family. But in typical Barb fashion, she loved and was loyal to all her cats, even those with glaring personality issues. Her current cat, Tommy, was beloved by all, and he will be well taken care of by her family.
Barb also absolutely loved to travel. Family vacation was a priority for Barb and Bob. Even in the early years of their marriage when money was tight, they made sure the family took vacations. As the years went by, primarily local trips turned into trips across the country, but most of all, wherever they went, they made sure that the kids had fun. In the last several years of Bob’s life, Barb and Bob were able to travel extensively around the world. Those trips created some of Barb’s most cherished and lasting memories.
Barb also loved watching sports of all kinds, but she was a huge football fan. Barb had a lifelong interest in the sport (her father and husband played the game). She and Bob purchased season tickets to the Kansas City Chiefs when Arrowhead first opened, and they held those tickets for many years. In the 1970s and into the 1980s, they tailgated in often empty parking lots before going into the stadiums to watch win-challenged teams. Barb, Bob, and friends rightly should be recognized as early pioneers of Arrowhead tailgating. Also, Barb could not stop her husband (and any effort would have been futile) from yelling at the players, coaches, and, for reasons that are still very unclear, the mascot horse and the end-zone band. But anyone who ever attended a Chiefs game or any sporting event with Bob and Barb has very good and lasting memories. When they lived near Philadelphia, they became Eagles season ticket holders, which exposed themselves and their family to new cultures/things, such as very expressive fans, the world’s largest collection of broken longneck beer bottles, and a municipal court in the stadium. But again, they loved football, and there were more great times at the Eagles games.
More important than watching professional sports, however, was Barb’s love of attending and supporting her children and grandchildren’s activities, whether those activities would be sports, music, theater, etc. Throughout their lives, Bob and Barb often traveled great distances to be present for various activities of their children and grandchildren. Bob and Barb, and then Barb after his passing, wholeheartedly supported the careers and interests of her four children and grandchildren. This more than anything is their legacy.
Barbara was preceded in death by her husband Robert in 1999, son-in-law Robert Kendrick in 2000, son Chip in 2003, and daughter Robyn L. Kendrick-Countz in 2014. She will be fondly remembered by her brother Paul Thomas Hickman and sister-in-law Sandra Hickman of Ballwin, MO; sister Marianne Willaert of Ballwin, MO; son Michael T. Gregory of Lee’s Summit, MO; son Patrick J. Gregory, daughter-in-law, Michelle Gregory and grandchildren Alicia, Charlotte, and Matthew, all of San Mateo, CA; grandson Matthew Kendrick, granddaughter-in-law Rachel Kendrick and great-grandson, Henry, all currently living in Dublin, Ireland; grandson Gregory Kendrick of Kansas City, MO; granddaughter Andrea (Gregory) Conine and grandson-in-law Robert Conine, Jr., of Silver Spring, MD; grandson Nicholas Gregory of Washington, D.C.; grandson Jackson Gregory of Windsor Mill, MD; daughter-in-law Lois Gregory of Silver Spring, MD; son-in-law Gerald Countz of Kansas City, MO; plus numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the American Cancer Society or the Southern Poverty Law Center.
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