A cornerstone of Morganton: Steve Gregory remembered

For more than 75 years, Gregory Jewelers has been one of the rocks upon which rests the foundation of downtown Morganton.

And for nearly 50 years, the face, the heart, and the soul of that business was Steve Gregory, who died on April 6 after a brief illness.

Steve was more than a respected business leader. To those who knew him well, he was a friend, a confidant, and a man of courage who never let a physical handicap define him.

Steve was born Dec. 9, 1950, to the late Lavone and Callie Isenhower Gregory, who had recently moved to Morganton to work at a jewelry store owned by Sam Shavitz.

Retired Morganton attorney Scott Whisnant grew up in the same neighborhood and the two were lifelong friends.

“We were not only friends as we grew up, we would ride down North Green Street in side-by-side baby strollers,” Scott recalled.

Steve was born suffering the effects of cerebral palsy which left him with a halting gait and the use of only one arm.

“His mom Callie cut him no slack,” said Scott of the boy who became his fast friend. “She taught him to be strong and to focus on all he had been blessed with, not what he lacked.”

“He was challenged by her,” Scott continued. “And that drove him to be an inspiration to all the rest of us. He was as involved at Morganton High School (where the pair graduated in 1968) as anyone I knew.”

Later, when Steve took over his parents’ business, Scott said Steve was “always an item in downtown Morganton. He developed such a reputation as being an honest and trustworthy businessman. People simply loved him.”

Steve, Scott said, was an active member of Calvary Lutheran Church, a dedicated public servant who served on the Morganton ABC board for more than four decades, and a loyal and faithful friend to many.

One of those friends is retired furniture executive Jim Best.

“He was one of a kind,” said Jim of Steve. “No pretense about the man. He was exactly what you saw. Such a courageous man.”

“Steve Gregory went through life helping people, helping his church, helping this community,” Jim continued. “With his physical limitations, he had reason to complain, but he never did.”

Instead, Jim said, Steve never let the effects of cerebral palsy hold him back or slow him down.

“He learned to fly a plane and got his pilot’s license,” Jim said. “He took up golf and was very competitive at it. Heck, he played rec baseball as a kid. He was fearless.”

When asked how Steve should be remembered, Jim paused a moment to reflect. His answer was a simple one: “Steve was the kind of person you just wanted to be around. He was such a good man.”

Another friend who would agree with Jim’s assessment is former Morganton Mayor Mel Cohen, who first as Main Street Coordinator and then as Mayor spent decades fighting for the health of downtown.

“Steve was a dear friend of mine,” Mel said. “I have never known an individual who was more proud or more happy to be a Morgantonian. He was 100% a supporter of downtown.”

Steve, Mel continued, “had that rare gift of being able to talk to any customer, to develop a relationship with any customer, and to win the confidence and trust of any customer. He was an extraordinary businessman.”

Even extraordinary businessmen must eventually retire, of course, and when Steve decided he had worked long enough, he sold his store to Darwin and Debbie Wilder.

“He was ready to retire,” said Darwin. “He was ready to relax. He did so much for his church. He did so much for this community. And much of that work was done quietly, behind the scenes. That’s what he wanted.”

The couple agreed that Steve did everything possible to make the ownership transition as smooth as possible. “Steve was a man of his word,” Debbie said. “He was so proud of this town and of how it always supported him.”

I can’t end this story without an acknowledgement of Steve’s sense of humor, which was as polished as one of his diamonds.

“Steve was a kidder,” said Tommy Sain, whose barbershop is just across Sterling Street from Gregory Jewelers.

“I looked across the street one day and saw a commotion going on over there and walked over to see what was happening,” said Tommy.

“When I got there, I saw that our former mayor, Andy Kistler, had fallen and was on the sidewalk,” Tommy went on. “He was OK, said he had simply caught his shoe on a crack in the sidewalk.

“I looked at Steve and said, “Well I figured Andy got a look at your prices and passed out.’” Tommy said.

“Steve got as big a laugh as I did,” Tommy concluded. “But he also gave me a good cussing.”

Tommy laughed and then grew serious.

“Steve Gregory was the kind of man you build a town on,” he said. “He is going to be terribly, terribly missed.”

In the end, perhaps the true measure of Steve Gregory’s life is not found in the length of years he spent behind the counter at Gregory Jewelers, but in the countless lives he touched beyond it.

He leaves behind a downtown stronger for his presence, a community kinder for his example, and a legacy defined not by limitation, but by quiet strength, integrity, and grace.

For those who knew him — and even for those who only knew of him — Steve Gregory will remain a shining reminder that the finest treasures are not the ones kept in glass cases, but the ones carried in the heart.