Vicki Gregory

Former Long Beach resident Viola "Vicki" Ann Gregory, 82, died June 6, 2014 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. She was born in New Haven, Connecticut on June 28, 1931. Throughout her life Vicki had many interests, hobbies and talents. In the late 1950's she sang along the East Coast in clubs with her husband Ray as her accompanist. Always an entrepreneur, she was a talented florist and owned 3 flower shops in Colorado and Huckleberry House Florist in Long Beach. In her mid-60s, she gleefully purchased her first of many computers and architected an elaborate, e-commerce professional website for a start-up company which ran for many years. While on the Peninsula she created, organized, and ran the annual "Dickens of a Christmas" Parade and Children's Toy Drive and was manager of the extensive bingo operations at the Long Beach Grange. After moving to Oregon, she was one of the first at-home remote employees, running the AAA customer lines assisting motorists. Vicki enjoyed painting, music, furry critters, reading, but, especially, flowers. She navigated through her joys and sorrows through them. She was wonderfully confident, passionate and witty, curious about the world around her, and loved all of her family, friends, and large extension of church family. In addition, she was a mentor, friend, and inspiration for staff and residents at her home in the last years of her life. She is the last of her generation - and will always be lovingly remembered. Vicki is survived by children Vicki (Frahm) Veryl, Herb (Michele) Olson, Holly (Tim) Ward, Melody Olson, Raylean Washburn and Ray (Barbara) Gregoire, numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren and several great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Raymond (Ray) Albert Gregory, brother Richard Benoit Jr. and her parents Adhemar and Fannie Benoit. Her funeral will be Wednesday, June 11, 2014, 11am at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Graveside service will be held Sat., June 14, 2014, 1:00 PM at Lone Fir Cemetery in Long Beach where she will be laid to rest beside her husband Raymond and her parents. Local arrangements are by Penttila's Chapel by The Sea. Her guestbook is available at www.penttilaschapel.com.