Bradford A. Gregory

Bradford A. Gregory, 66, of West Caln, died on Saturday, September 17, 2016, as a result of a fishing accident.  He was the husband of Fay Elaine Fryberger Gregory with whom he shared over 19 years of marriage.  Born in Kingston, PA, he was the son of the late Warren Gregory and the late Gloria Payne Eidson and the step son of the late Omar Eidson.

Bradford retired early in 2011, after 44 years of service as a journeyman pipefitter.   He proudly served his Country in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1973 and was stationed in Germany obtaining the rank of Specialist 4th Class.  He enjoyed hunting, fishing and the outdoors. He belonged to the North American Hunting Club, The Good Sam Camping Club, AARP, Christiana American Legion and the Pipeline Local 798.
Besides his wife he is survived by two nieces, Nikki Lytle of Coatesville, Stacie Taylor of Texas, an uncle, Gale Gregory of Hunlock Creek, PA, one cousin Sherri Thompson and "Daddy's Little Girl" Ginger.

Due to in inclement weather and scheduling conflicts the memorial service for Brad has been moved from Saturday October 1 to Saturday, October 8, 2016 . The gathering will still be held at Fay and Brad's home at 170 South Sandy Hill Road, Coatesville, Pa. beginning at 11 AM with an honor guard presentation to begin at 11:30 AM.  All family and friends are welcome to join in honoring the life of Brad, sharing memories, and enjoying a meal together. We still hope to see all family and friends who are able to join us in remembering the life and memories we had with Brad.  Any inquiries can be answered by calling Sharon at 610.392.2426.

Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the Humane League of Lancaster County, 2195 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA 17602 or PA Boxer Rescue, www.paboxers.com/donate.html

MEMORIAM FOR BRADFORD A. GREGORY

In highest honor and most heartfelt memory of Bradford Gregory, an amazing man who is deeply loved and unfathomably missed by his wife, his family, his countless friends and his four legged furbaby, Ginger.

Brad was a man who was always busy, whether it was being hard at work on his job during his many years employed with the Pipe Liners Union 798 as a natural gas pipeline journeyman or tending to projects and tasks at home.  Brad tirelessly worked countless, physically exhausting hours, many times hundreds of miles from his family, for weeks, even months on end, to provide a comfortable life for his supportive, loving wife Fay, and their various fur babies they cared for over the years. Brad never complained about having to work hard (beyond the daily aches and pains of life!!) because his desire was to provide for both he and Fay so she could be a stay at home wife.  Fay always kept the home fires burning while Brad was away, and after a time, was able to join Brad in traveling to his various job locations.  Together they experienced life on the road in the camper that Brad purchased so Fay could be by his side. They stayed at various campgrounds around the east coast and shared life together in their comfortable 'home on wheels'.

Brad retired early from his pipeline position in 2011 after his tireless commitment to his job for over 40 years. They made many friends along those travels, as well as keeping in touch with all of his close buddies that he held onto over the years. When Brad was your friend, you knew you had a friend for life, in the truest sense of the word.  Brad was a man who was always willing and available to drop what he was doing to help a friend in need, day or night, sunshine, rain or snow, you could always count on Brad to be there.  Anyone that truly knows Brad and his character will tell you that he never let anyone down.  If you needed his help, he was there.  No questions asked, no resentment, no problem.  No expectations of payback in return for his kindness.

When Brad wasn't working his job, he could always be found tinkering away and working in his garage.  He always had a project going on, whether it was helping a friend drop a new engine in a car or truck, doing auto bodywork, or constructing some newfangled 'Brad Invention' that suited some crazy idea he had in mind.  If he envisioned it, he would build it.  Brad was as handy with a wrench as he was with a welder and spent many contented hours happily working on his own vehicles as well as doing repairs on family and friends cars too.  Brad never called a single repairman out to his house for any maintenance that needed to be done. Over the years, sometimes with the help of good friends, he tackled countless tasks of home repairs as they arose.  If the furnace broke, he fixed it.  When the water pipes broke he repaired them.  Brad installed new floors, laid new roofs on his own home and other's homes too.  Brad fixed his own lawn equipment, constructed his own barbecue grills, did repairs to his camper.  Brad plowed his own drive, shoveled his own snow, chopped his own wood, simply took care of what needed taking care of.

Brad also loved the outdoors and was a lifelong hunter and fisherman.  He looked forward to those first days of hunting season and the opening days of fishing.  The times he spent hunting would sometimes reward him with a bounty of venison, squirrel, groundhog or some other unsuspecting wildlife and Fay was always skilled in making all of it into delicious meals for them.  His freezer usually contained some sort of wild game provided by the patient, skilled diligence of Brad and his trusty gun, bow or rod.

Brad was a laid back, simple lifestyle, 'Good Ole Boy' kind of man.  Fancy things and flashy settings were never his thing.  He was always happiest at home, surrounded by family and friends.  The times he spent making memories with loved ones, hanging out at home, in his garage, playing cards, throwing horseshoes, sitting around a blazing fire, drinking, joking, carrying on, telling stories and making even more memories, are too numerous to mention.  His family and friends were his life and he made sure they knew it.  He was content with that.

Brad was a supportive, loving son to his mother and step-father, Gloria & Omar Eidson, whom he had a very close relationship with.  They lived on the same property and we're always literally just a shout away.  Both of his parents passing's were extremely hard on him but with the love and support of his wife, he carried on, never missing a beat and continued providing for and maintaining the legacy they left to him.

Brad loved his country and was drafted on December 1, 1970 to faithfully serve in the United States Army Field Artillery, 2nd Division Training Battalion, Battery F.   He served just under three years, spending time in the US and Germany and received a medal for 'Expert (Rifle) National Defense Service'.  Brad was honorably discharged on August 30, 1973.

Brad's sudden passing has come as a devastating shock to everyone who loves him.  The pain of this void left by his unexpected departure is beyond what words can convey.  To say he was loved by everyone is to hope to imply that his soul, his spirit, his life, was cherished by us all as deeply as God cherishes even his tiniest of creations.  To say he will be missed is to hope to imply the kind of yearning that the sun feels in the depth of winter, waiting to touch the face of spring's first flower but knowing that spring is never to be again in this lifetime.  To say we will carry on is to hope to convey that every day of our lives we will bare witness to the world that we are honored by the opportunity to have truly known Brad.   And as we go forward, may we make a difference to the world in some small way, that the impact of having been touched by Brad's character has made us better for knowing him.  To continue to show others what his legacy of true, steadfast, unconditional friendship and love is all about.

"For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides,
that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?"

"Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance."         -Kahlil Gibran