Neal Gregory Neal O. Gregory, 88, of Sterling, died Nov. 25, 2011, in Sterling. Memorial services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home, with the Rev. Spencer Green officiating. Inurnment will be at Riverside Cemetery.

Mr. Gregory was born in Sterling on July 5, 1923, to James H. Gregory and Jennie Fern Weber Gregory. After graduating from Sterling High School, where he participated in sports, he enrolled at NJC (Sterling Junior College) in 1941. There he played basketball on the college's first team, along with Roy Edwards.

After graduating from NJC, he completed a bachelor's degree from Western State College. After graduation he moved to Denver, where he met and married Gayle Wilson. They had a daughter, Deborah. They moved to Longmont, where he worked and lived until his retirement in 1989.

The couple moved back to Sterling in 1992, where he enjoyed high school and NJC sporting events. He was a charter member of the Elks Club No. 2278, a member of the American Legion Post No. 68. He was an active life member of the NJC Alumni and Heritage Committee and was Mace Bearer in 2001.

He is survived by his wife, Gayle; daughter, Mona and husband Raymond; son, Michael and wife Georgiann; daughter, Deborah and husband Bob; brother, Ralph; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Gregory was preceded in death by a son, Joseph Sibal; sisters, Lela Johnson, Dorothy Spelts, Viola Welsh; and brothers, Marion, Wayne, Dale and Ray Gregory.

Memorials may be made to Neal Gregory Memorial.