Thomas Gregory Obituary

Tommy Gregory lived 99 years the way most people only aspire to: with hard work, deep faith, and an unwavering sense of duty to his family, his community, and his country. Known as "Tommy" to friends and "Pop" to the people who mattered most to him, he passed away on February 26, 2026, just five weeks shy of 100 years old in Columbia, South Carolina. He is survived by two daughters, six grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren - with one more on the way, all of whom he adored.

Tommy was born in Columbia on April 4, 1926, and faced loss early when both of his parents passed away in 1928, when he was just two years old. Raised by his grandmother, aunt and uncle, he graduated from Columbia High School in 1943 and went on to serve as an Aircraft Electronics Technician in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After earning his Engineering degree from the University of South Carolina in 1949, he was called back to service - this time with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, where he served twelve months in Korea as an Electronics Officer and earned the Bronze Star. He returned home a decorated veteran of two wars - and got straight to work.

In June 1949, Tommy founded the Gregory Electric Company. He built it steadily over nearly five decades, retired in 1998, and sold the business the following year. It was exactly the kind of story he lived: start with nothing, build something real, and leave it in good hands.

Along the way, Tommy achieved an impressive list of honors, though he'd never have put it that way himself. He was named Electrical Man of the Year for the Carolinas, elected President of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, served as a delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business under President Reagan, and endowed a professorship in his name at USC's College of Engineering. In 2008, Governor Mark Sanford presented him with the Order of the Palmetto, the state's highest civilian honor. Tommy accepted it graciously and probably changed the subject shortly after.

The Rotary Club of Five Points held a special place in his heart. He served as its President from 1967 to 1968, and today his grandson Michael Duck carries that legacy forward as the club's current President Elect - a detail that made Tommy quietly beam.

Tommy was preceded in death by his parents and by the great love of his life, his wife June, who passed on May 18, 2000. He adored her completely, and those who knew them knew it. In his passing, he is at last reunited with her. He is survived by his daughters Carol (Mrs. Benjamin Richter) of Charlotte, NC, and Kaye (Mrs. Michael B. Duck) of Charleston, SC; grandchildren Jennifer Hanson (Michael), Michael Duck (Lauren), Benjamin Richter (Julia), Meredith Powell (Dave), Kevin Duck (Lindsay), and Kaleigh Johnson (Brad); and 15 great-grandchildren, with another on the way, due this month.

For all the titles and trophies, what Tommy valued most never made a plaque. He was the dad who curled his daughters' hair before church. The grandfather who read softly and sang gently. The great-grandfather who gave a newborn their bottle with the same steady, careful hands that had built a company and served a country. Those quiet moments were where you saw who he really was - and they're what his family will carry with them longest.

Tommy Gregory was a man of faith, courage, and loving kindness. His life's work was people - his family first, his community always. May his memory be a blessing, and may he rest in the peace he so richly deserved.

There will be a private family burial to honor Mr. Gregory.

Special thanks to his devoted, long-time caregivers: Veronica Whitener, Ruthean Workman and Conetra Johnson, whose compassion and companionship brought him comfort through his final years.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Rotary Club of Five Points, P.O. Box 8352, Columbia, SC 29402, or the charity of one's choice.