John Vernon Gregson died peacefully on April 28, 2010 at the Springfield Health and Rehab Center in Springfield, VT where he had been a resident for the previous 14 weeks following the third of lengthy stays at Mt. Ascutney Hospital in Windsor, Vt.
Although he may have realized his health was failing, he had continued to give instructions to his wife, Abbie, regarding coming home with plans to resume a productive role in business. Retired? Never. Remain in control? Yes, forever.
John was born in Troy, NY on May 27, 1925, the only son and third child of the late George Chadwick Gregson and Noeline Vernon Gregson. The family moved to Dallas in 1932, where he attended school, graduating with the class of 1943 from Wyoming Seminary, a college preparatory school.
He joined the U.S. Navy V12 program and attended Princeton before OT school at Cornell, subsequently serving on a minesweeper, sweeping mines in the Sea of Japan. In 1946, on his 21st birthday, he became commander of his ship as he outranked a second young officer by one day. John would say "and that's how we won the war."
An attractive officer from Texaco brought him into Foreign Sales with a five-year assignment to Nicaragua and Honduras. On his first leave back to the States, he proposed to Abbie Buckman, who, as a young bride, joined him in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Their next move was to Stamford, CT and export sales of heavy equipment for Thew Shovel Co., and a move to Fairfield, CT in 1956.
A major career change occurred in 1960, when John entered the insurance industry as an agent with Mass Mutual. Several years later, he became interested in the large Corporate Insurance market, joining Alexander & Alexander Inc., where he was Vice President and Sales Manager in the New York office. He was especially proud of having sold over 20 million dollars of Life Insurance to one executive, a record in 1965.
A combination of events triggered the Gregsons' move from Connecticut in 1972 to Woodstock, VT and the beginning of their great affection and interest in anything Vermont. Soon, in partnership with John Alden, he founded the Alden Gregson Co., an all-purpose insurance agency operating statewide. One notable success was introducing viable Directors Liability Insurance for Municipalities in Vermont for the first time. He directed AG until he sold it in 1981 to found J.V. Gregson Associates with his wife, Abbie.
For many years, Hartland, VT, where he served as Justice of the Peace, was their home. They moved to Brownsville, where he was an active participant in the Men's Breakfast and delivered Meals On Wheels until he was no longer able to drive. He was a member of The First Universalist Society of Hartland Four Corners and was a Trustee for several years. He was a loyal Rotarian both in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and in Woodstock, VT. While President of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, John was instrumental in helping to end the inventory tax as a way for the town to raise revenue.
He played golf from age 10 forward, enjoyed walking with his dogs, enjoyed the family ski weekends, played tennis and paddle tennis, loved a good joke, good conversation, good friends and time to enjoy life. His four children were the delight of his life. He was enormously proud of them and the people they are today, and convinced his eight grandchildren will do as well.
John was preceded in death by his parents and both sisters, Agnes Gregson and Betty Gregson.
He is survived by Abbie, his wife of 60 years; his son, George, and his ex-wife, and their children, Taylor and Edith; daughter Barbara and her husband, John Himmelien; and her two children, Till Manthey and Nico Miceli; daughter Bonnie and her husband, Louis Coakley, and their children, Morgan and Carly; as well as a daughter, Phebe, and her husband, Burton Miller; and their children, Phebe and Madison.
Burial is in Sheddsville cemetery in Sheddsville, VT.
Source; Times Leader, The (Wilkes Barre, PA) - May 7, 2010
Although he may have realized his health was failing, he had continued to give instructions to his wife, Abbie, regarding coming home with plans to resume a productive role in business. Retired? Never. Remain in control? Yes, forever.
John was born in Troy, NY on May 27, 1925, the only son and third child of the late George Chadwick Gregson and Noeline Vernon Gregson. The family moved to Dallas in 1932, where he attended school, graduating with the class of 1943 from Wyoming Seminary, a college preparatory school.
He joined the U.S. Navy V12 program and attended Princeton before OT school at Cornell, subsequently serving on a minesweeper, sweeping mines in the Sea of Japan. In 1946, on his 21st birthday, he became commander of his ship as he outranked a second young officer by one day. John would say "and that's how we won the war."
An attractive officer from Texaco brought him into Foreign Sales with a five-year assignment to Nicaragua and Honduras. On his first leave back to the States, he proposed to Abbie Buckman, who, as a young bride, joined him in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Their next move was to Stamford, CT and export sales of heavy equipment for Thew Shovel Co., and a move to Fairfield, CT in 1956.
A major career change occurred in 1960, when John entered the insurance industry as an agent with Mass Mutual. Several years later, he became interested in the large Corporate Insurance market, joining Alexander & Alexander Inc., where he was Vice President and Sales Manager in the New York office. He was especially proud of having sold over 20 million dollars of Life Insurance to one executive, a record in 1965.
A combination of events triggered the Gregsons' move from Connecticut in 1972 to Woodstock, VT and the beginning of their great affection and interest in anything Vermont. Soon, in partnership with John Alden, he founded the Alden Gregson Co., an all-purpose insurance agency operating statewide. One notable success was introducing viable Directors Liability Insurance for Municipalities in Vermont for the first time. He directed AG until he sold it in 1981 to found J.V. Gregson Associates with his wife, Abbie.
For many years, Hartland, VT, where he served as Justice of the Peace, was their home. They moved to Brownsville, where he was an active participant in the Men's Breakfast and delivered Meals On Wheels until he was no longer able to drive. He was a member of The First Universalist Society of Hartland Four Corners and was a Trustee for several years. He was a loyal Rotarian both in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and in Woodstock, VT. While President of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, John was instrumental in helping to end the inventory tax as a way for the town to raise revenue.
He played golf from age 10 forward, enjoyed walking with his dogs, enjoyed the family ski weekends, played tennis and paddle tennis, loved a good joke, good conversation, good friends and time to enjoy life. His four children were the delight of his life. He was enormously proud of them and the people they are today, and convinced his eight grandchildren will do as well.
John was preceded in death by his parents and both sisters, Agnes Gregson and Betty Gregson.
He is survived by Abbie, his wife of 60 years; his son, George, and his ex-wife, and their children, Taylor and Edith; daughter Barbara and her husband, John Himmelien; and her two children, Till Manthey and Nico Miceli; daughter Bonnie and her husband, Louis Coakley, and their children, Morgan and Carly; as well as a daughter, Phebe, and her husband, Burton Miller; and their children, Phebe and Madison.
Burial is in Sheddsville cemetery in Sheddsville, VT.
Source; Times Leader, The (Wilkes Barre, PA) - May 7, 2010
John Vernon Gregson died peacefully on April 28, 2010 at the Springfield Health and Rehab Center in Springfield, VT where he had been a resident for the previous 14 weeks following the third of lengthy stays at Mt. Ascutney Hospital in Windsor, Vt.
Although he may have realized his health was failing, he had continued to give instructions to his wife, Abbie, regarding coming home with plans to resume a productive role in business. Retired? Never. Remain in control? Yes, forever.
John was born in Troy, NY on May 27, 1925, the only son and third child of the late George Chadwick Gregson and Noeline Vernon Gregson. The family moved to Dallas in 1932, where he attended school, graduating with the class of 1943 from Wyoming Seminary, a college preparatory school.
He joined the U.S. Navy V12 program and attended Princeton before OT school at Cornell, subsequently serving on a minesweeper, sweeping mines in the Sea of Japan. In 1946, on his 21st birthday, he became commander of his ship as he outranked a second young officer by one day. John would say "and that's how we won the war."
An attractive officer from Texaco brought him into Foreign Sales with a five-year assignment to Nicaragua and Honduras. On his first leave back to the States, he proposed to Abbie Buckman, who, as a young bride, joined him in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Their next move was to Stamford, CT and export sales of heavy equipment for Thew Shovel Co., and a move to Fairfield, CT in 1956.
A major career change occurred in 1960, when John entered the insurance industry as an agent with Mass Mutual. Several years later, he became interested in the large Corporate Insurance market, joining Alexander & Alexander Inc., where he was Vice President and Sales Manager in the New York office. He was especially proud of having sold over 20 million dollars of Life Insurance to one executive, a record in 1965.
A combination of events triggered the Gregsons' move from Connecticut in 1972 to Woodstock, VT and the beginning of their great affection and interest in anything Vermont. Soon, in partnership with John Alden, he founded the Alden Gregson Co., an all-purpose insurance agency operating statewide. One notable success was introducing viable Directors Liability Insurance for Municipalities in Vermont for the first time. He directed AG until he sold it in 1981 to found J.V. Gregson Associates with his wife, Abbie.
For many years, Hartland, VT, where he served as Justice of the Peace, was their home. They moved to Brownsville, where he was an active participant in the Men's Breakfast and delivered Meals On Wheels until he was no longer able to drive. He was a member of The First Universalist Society of Hartland Four Corners and was a Trustee for several years. He was a loyal Rotarian both in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and in Woodstock, VT. While President of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, John was instrumental in helping to end the inventory tax as a way for the town to raise revenue.
He played golf from age 10 forward, enjoyed walking with his dogs, enjoyed the family ski weekends, played tennis and paddle tennis, loved a good joke, good conversation, good friends and time to enjoy life. His four children were the delight of his life. He was enormously proud of them and the people they are today, and convinced his eight grandchildren will do as well.
John was preceded in death by his parents and both sisters, Agnes Gregson and Betty Gregson.
He is survived by Abbie, his wife of 60 years; his son, George, and his ex-wife, and their children, Taylor and Edith; daughter Barbara and her husband, John Himmelien; and her two children, Till Manthey and Nico Miceli; daughter Bonnie and her husband, Louis Coakley, and their children, Morgan and Carly; as well as a daughter, Phebe, and her husband, Burton Miller; and their children, Phebe and Madison.
Burial is in Sheddsville cemetery in Sheddsville, VT.
Source; Times Leader, The (Wilkes Barre, PA) - May 7, 2010
Although he may have realized his health was failing, he had continued to give instructions to his wife, Abbie, regarding coming home with plans to resume a productive role in business. Retired? Never. Remain in control? Yes, forever.
John was born in Troy, NY on May 27, 1925, the only son and third child of the late George Chadwick Gregson and Noeline Vernon Gregson. The family moved to Dallas in 1932, where he attended school, graduating with the class of 1943 from Wyoming Seminary, a college preparatory school.
He joined the U.S. Navy V12 program and attended Princeton before OT school at Cornell, subsequently serving on a minesweeper, sweeping mines in the Sea of Japan. In 1946, on his 21st birthday, he became commander of his ship as he outranked a second young officer by one day. John would say "and that's how we won the war."
An attractive officer from Texaco brought him into Foreign Sales with a five-year assignment to Nicaragua and Honduras. On his first leave back to the States, he proposed to Abbie Buckman, who, as a young bride, joined him in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Their next move was to Stamford, CT and export sales of heavy equipment for Thew Shovel Co., and a move to Fairfield, CT in 1956.
A major career change occurred in 1960, when John entered the insurance industry as an agent with Mass Mutual. Several years later, he became interested in the large Corporate Insurance market, joining Alexander & Alexander Inc., where he was Vice President and Sales Manager in the New York office. He was especially proud of having sold over 20 million dollars of Life Insurance to one executive, a record in 1965.
A combination of events triggered the Gregsons' move from Connecticut in 1972 to Woodstock, VT and the beginning of their great affection and interest in anything Vermont. Soon, in partnership with John Alden, he founded the Alden Gregson Co., an all-purpose insurance agency operating statewide. One notable success was introducing viable Directors Liability Insurance for Municipalities in Vermont for the first time. He directed AG until he sold it in 1981 to found J.V. Gregson Associates with his wife, Abbie.
For many years, Hartland, VT, where he served as Justice of the Peace, was their home. They moved to Brownsville, where he was an active participant in the Men's Breakfast and delivered Meals On Wheels until he was no longer able to drive. He was a member of The First Universalist Society of Hartland Four Corners and was a Trustee for several years. He was a loyal Rotarian both in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and in Woodstock, VT. While President of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, John was instrumental in helping to end the inventory tax as a way for the town to raise revenue.
He played golf from age 10 forward, enjoyed walking with his dogs, enjoyed the family ski weekends, played tennis and paddle tennis, loved a good joke, good conversation, good friends and time to enjoy life. His four children were the delight of his life. He was enormously proud of them and the people they are today, and convinced his eight grandchildren will do as well.
John was preceded in death by his parents and both sisters, Agnes Gregson and Betty Gregson.
He is survived by Abbie, his wife of 60 years; his son, George, and his ex-wife, and their children, Taylor and Edith; daughter Barbara and her husband, John Himmelien; and her two children, Till Manthey and Nico Miceli; daughter Bonnie and her husband, Louis Coakley, and their children, Morgan and Carly; as well as a daughter, Phebe, and her husband, Burton Miller; and their children, Phebe and Madison.
Burial is in Sheddsville cemetery in Sheddsville, VT.
Source; Times Leader, The (Wilkes Barre, PA) - May 7, 2010
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