W.H. "Willis" Gregory

ANGIER -W. H. “Willis” Gregory, 84, also known by many as just W.H., Uncle Brother, or just Brother, passed away at Transitions LifeCare in Raleigh on Sunday. Born in Harnett County, he was the son of the late Ralph Gregory and Flora Nordan Gregory.

Willis was a smart and kind man that never did anything halfway. He was an inventor and self-made engineer who wasn’t afraid to think outside the box. If he wanted to do something he would figure out a way to do it. Willis worked hard to accomplish the things he did in life. When it came to Willis’s career, his mind for inventing paved the way for what he would do for work. In the early 1970’s, Willis started W.G. Builders manufacturing farm equipment. By 1975, Willis and his brother, Albert invented an implement called the Soda-Flo that was used specifically in the growing of tobacco. In the early 1980’s, Willis invented a blower for gas logs that had never been seen before. It was around this time that W.G. Builders was incorporated into Heatmaster Incorporated. They would go on to manufacture gas logs and the blower that Willis invented. Heatmaster still manufactures these items to this day. He served his country in the Army National Guard. His service to others didn’t stop there however, he was a faithful and valued member for many years with the Kiwanis Club of Angier whose focus is to change the world one child and one community at a time. Willis could always be found cooking the sausage at the club’s annual pancake and sausage breakfast fundraiser. What a lot of people didn’t know was that Willis was the one behind the scenes fixing the cookers used for the fundraiser. Doing great things that sometimes went unnoticed were not uncommon for Willis, he was always there for others when they needed him most. It could have been bringing food or supplies to someone who was experiencing the loss of a loved one or giving of his time and resources to his family, church, and community. He also served for a time on the board of directors at First Federal Bank and the Campbell University Presidential Board. Willis received a couple of awards that recognized the contributions that he made to his community. The Angier Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year Award in 2016 and the Harnett County Businessman of the Year Award. Willis was a strong man of faith; he served as a deacon at Plainview Presbyterian Church in Angier and was a longtime member of Angier Baptist Church until his passing. The most important thing in life to Willis was his family. Willis would do things like volunteer as a Scout Master with Pack 125. There, he helped his sons, Todd and Rodney win the 1973, 1974, and 1975 fastest car competition of the Occoneechee Council Pinewood Derby. They won out over 21,000 cars. Willis not only helped his sons build winning cars, but he published an instruction manual called “Pinewood Derby, Designing A Winner”. This manual would show others how to build a pinewood derby car like Willis and his sons built.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, May 3rd at 2:00 pm at Angier Baptist Church, Angier. Burial with military honors will follow the service at Lakeside Memorial Gardens, Angier. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Thursday, May 2nd at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Angier.

Willis is survived by his loving wife of 31 years, Rita Beckham Gregory; children, Rodney Gregory (Rita M.) of Lillington, Todd Gregory of Raleigh, Kevin Gregory (Crystal) of Angier, Anita Cunningham (Scott) of Garner, and Marcus Stanaland (Erin) of Fuquay-Varina; grandchildren, Makenzie Lynn Gregory, Reid Adams Gregory, Hunter Gregory, Patrick Jones (Paige), Tristan Jones, Channing Joyner (Hunter), Zachary Cunningham, Kealeb Adcock, Eve Stanaland, Ethan Stanaland, and Cohen Stanaland; great-grandchildren, Landrie Joyner, Aubrie Joyner; as well as many nephews and great nieces.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Gail Adams Gregory; sisters, Eula Stancil, Mary Stevens, and brother, Albert Gregory.