Former Northwest Athlete, Coach and Administrator Dies

MARYVILLE – Former Northwest Missouri State University student-athlete, coach and administrator Bob Gregory passed away Monday, June 11. He was a football and basketball athlete for the Bearcats, coached basketball, baseball and tennis and served as associate athletic director during his tenure at Northwest Missouri State. “Bob Gregory was one of my predecessors that helped establish our motto-Once a Bearcat, Always a Bearcat,” said Northwest director of athletics Dr. Bob Boerigter. “He was keenly interested and supportive of Northwest athletics to end. We extend our sympathy to his family and to the lives of all who he touched.” A native of St. Joseph, Mo., Gregory transferred from Central Methodist College (now University) in Fayette, Mo., in the fall of 1939 upon the recruitment of Bearcat football coach Ryland Milner. He was a three-year letterman in football as a blocking back and then guard and placekicker, earning first team All-MIAA honors his senior season. The Bearcats won MIAA titles in 1939 and 1941 during his tenure, with the team posting a combined record of 23-3-1. He also lettered twice in basketball and earned the Howard Leach Award as the Northwest outstanding student-athlete in 1941. A 1942 Northwest graduate, Gregory served four years in the Navy during World War II. He returned to Maryville in 1946 following his discharge to earn a minor in industrial arts and to teach basketball theory. He coached basketball at Shenandoah (Iowa) High School in 1946, and then became the head football, basketball and track coach at Maryville High School from 1947-51. From 1951-54, he served as the coach at Grand Island (Neb.) High School and guided that program to a Big Ten Championship and two East Big Ten titles on the way to the school’s first appearance in the state tournament. Gregory returned to Northwest in 1954 as the head basketball coach, assistant football coach and assistant coach for spring sports. He was named the head baseball coach in 1957. He spent 1958 in private business before returning to Northwest as an assistant football coach. He was served as the head tennis and golf coach, and served as sponsor for the golf program. He was named associate athletic director in the early 1970’s, a position he held until his retirement in 1986. He was inducted into the M-Club Hall of Fame in 1987. Memorial services for Gregory will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, June 15 at the First United Methodist Church in Maryville. Visitation will be in the Church Fellowship Hall following the service. Memorials may be made to the James Robert Gregory Athletic Scholarship Fund at Northwest, The First United Methodist Church or SSM Hospice of Northwest Missouri.