Businessman, philanthropist and friend to veterans Stu Gregory dies

March 27--BRADENTON -- "I'm sad because I know why you're calling," said Veronica Miller, Goodwill Manasota vice president of marketing.

Stu Gregory, one of the founding members of Goodwill Manasota, and a lifetime member of their board of directors, died Monday night. The owner of Des Champs & Gregory Inc. was 83.

"He was one of our founding members and also helped start the Goodwill Foundation," Miller said. "He was on our board for more than 30 years. We are deeply saddened. He was such a pioneer of establishing Goodwill Manasota. It's just so sad."

A fourth-generation Floridian originally hailing from Jacksonville, Mr. Gregory moved to Bradenton in 1964 where he became a successful businessman and philanthropist. That year, Mr. Gregory acquired Des Champs & Gregory Inc., a local insurance company that stretches back to 1908.

Mr. Gregory was involved in several local organizations, including the United Way of Manatee County, Boys and Girls Club of Manatee, president of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and president of the Manatee Community Foundation. He had a bachelor's degree in insurance and risk management from Florida State University where he attended on a full-ride basketball scholarship.

Mr. Gregory was also a U.S. Army veteran, serving in the Army Reserves that included a yearlong stint on active duty from 1959-1960 during the Berlin Crisis. In late 1958, Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev demanded U.S. forces and its western allies pull all troops out of West Berlin, which led to the construction of the Berlin Wall and the onset of the Cold War.

During his time in the military and afterward, Mr. Gregory had a passion for veterans and in 2015 was one of five who helped establish Goodwill Manasota's Veterans Task Force, which provides a leadership role in providing community support to veterans transitioning into the civilian workforce. Mr. Gregory donated the funds to build a special monument to veterans at the Goodwill Manasota headquarters and international training center in Bradenton. He also was named Community Goodwill Ambassador of the Year for his years of devotion.

But most of all, Mr. Gregory was a family man and father of three boys and a daughter.

"You sit back and look at all he accomplished, he was just someone that never quit anything," said son Mac Gregory. "As my dad, he was bigger than life to me. He was very proud of anything his children did, but also anything other people did. My dad was one of those guys that wanted everyone to do well and loved to honor people that did well."

Mr. Gregory passed away peacefully with one of his sons by his side. Mac Gregory and his wife had been with his father just an hour earlier and his brother gave him the news.

"We're holding up," Gregory said. "The support from the community has been unbelievable. It's our Christian faith that lets us know where he is, and Dad was a long-time member of the Presbyterian Church and a true Christian. We knew what to expect but didn't know when and that's a hard game to play to see someone you love so much go through this. Someone yesterday said it better than I can when he said, 'He was tough guy with a gentle soul.'"

Mr. Gregory was a father of four, a grandfather to 11 and great-grandfather to 10.

"We just lost one of the great leaders of the community," said businessman and restaurateur Ed Chiles. "There are a handful of people in that league, and Stu Gregory was unquestionably one of them. He was so involved in so many community causes. He had a great family and tremendous business, but he was just an outstanding individual in his service to community. He was a giant of a man in terms of his character, and one of the nicest people I've ever met."

Chiles said Mr. Gregory served above and beyond for not only local civic organizations, but for countless individuals.

"He's been such a great mentor to so many people like me," Chiles said. "He cared about you. He was just one of those all-around great guys and he'll be missed, sorely missed. But he lived a full life and didn't leave anything undone.

"What a great life. What a great way to go and what a great way to live."

Mark Young: 941-745-7041, @urbanmark2014

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