Elizabeth Gregory’s Story

Former EGH board member Frank Gregory shares fond memories of this inspirational woman: “I met Elizabeth, a single mother, in 1971, and we were both enrolled in computer programming classes. She was forced to withdraw from school after losing her job. She eventually found other employment but survived on unemployment and food stamps in the interim. This was a blow to her self-esteem and eventually to her health, as she felt firsthand the sting of life as a struggling woman.”

“I finished school in 1974 and we were married that same year. In 1978, she returned to school to finish her education, receiving an undergraduate in communications and her Master’s in Social Work at the University of Washington. It was during her practicum at Children’s Hospital of Seattle that she fell in love with one-on-one counseling with the disenfranchised and those affected by trauma and loss. These one-on-one encounters led to her sharing a private practice until her health forced her to retire prematurely in 1990.”

“Elizabeth had the most infectious laugh; she loved playing practical jokes, was a big sports fan, a film noir buff, and made friends easily. However, integrity was a requirement if you wished to remain a friend. When Elizabeth died she left me a gift that I will never lose; death is not the end of our journey.”

It is our wish the women served at Elizabeth Gregory Home will find that same indomitable spirit and joy for life that Elizabeth left as her legacy.