Maxine Gregory (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Maxine Bailey Halstead Gregory, daughter of James N. and Mary LaVina Brown Bailey, was born November 16, 1922, near Eunice, Missouri. She departed this life Friday, March 16, 2012, in Mercy Hospital, in Lebanon, Missouri, at the age of eighty-nine years, and four months.
On July 11, 1945, she was united in marriage to Gale Franklin Halstead, and to this union one daughter and two sons were born. Mr. Halstead preceded her in death on August 21, 1963.
In 1980, she married Gene Gregory, who passed away on June 13, 2008.
She was also preceded in death by her parents; a son, Ronald Halstead, and his wife, Pauline; four brothers, Everett, Chester, Lester, and Carmie Bailey; and five sisters, her identical twin, Lorene Halstead, Myrtle Cornelison, Edna Williams, Blanche Barnes, and Pauline Bailey.
Maxine is survived by a daughter, Sandy Willard, and her husband, Bradley, of Lebanon, Missouri; a son, Gerald “Jerry” Halstead, and his wife, Jan, of Leander, Texas; eight grandchildren, Ashley, Jason, and Adam Halstead, Kimberly Shafer, Natalie Jahnke, Brennon, Andrea “Andee”, and Blane Willard; a great-granddaughter, Lily Shearer; a brother, Walter Bailey, of Lebanon, Missouri; two sisters, Loretha Hubbs, of St. Louis County, Missouri, and Reva Lanning, of Crestwood, Missouri; several nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
She was born and raised the ninth of thirteen children, in the Eunice, Missouri area, and graduated from Summersville High School in the Class of 1942. She taught in a one-room school near Eunice, Missouri, for awhile before moving to St. Louis. She worked in an ammunitions factory inspecting bullet casings during World War II, and about this time she became engaged to Gale. After she and Gale were married, they made their home in Kansas for a short time, before moving back to St. Louis. Gale and Maxine opened an insurance brokerage company, H.I.H. Insurance Company, in St. Louis, and Maxine became one of the first lady insurance agents in the greater St. Louis area. In 1972, Maxine moved to Lebanon, where she purchased Alvin Green Motors and later purchased part of Lebanon Ford Motor Company. She also worked at the Ozark Gift Shop for a few years. After she and Gene were married, they made their home in Lebanon and shared twenty-eight years.
Maxine professed her faith in Christ and was baptized at an early age and was a longtime member of First Baptist Church in Lebanon.
In her spare time she enjoyed gardening, quilting, and particularly bowling, playing on leagues until the age of eighty-six. She loved her family dearly and especially enjoyed her grandchildren.
Maxine was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt, and was a caring neighbor and friend. We celebrate her life and her accomplishments, and know that her family and friends will cherish the wonderful memories she created for them during her lifetime.
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