Arzella Pearl Gregory

Arzella Pearl (Barnard) Gregory, 92, a longtime former resident of Groveland, MA passed away on September 22, 2025 surrounded by family members. 

She was born to Ernest and Lela (Stewart) Barnard on September 9, 1933 in Pleasantville, Indiana. “Artie” graduated from Fountainette High School and then later followed her older brother into the Army in 1953. She received training as a finance specialist and shipped over to Germany with The Women’s Army Corps (WAC) to support the U.S. operations to rebuild Germany through the Marshall Plan and attained the rank of Sergeant before leaving the service.

As Fate would have it, Artie met the love of her life when she was selling tickets for a dance on post to a fellow Army Soldier named Robert (DiGregorio) Gregory from Boston. A whirlwind romance took place and they were married in January 1955 locally by the town’s Burgermeister and then by an Army Priest at a full ceremony. Together, they celebrated over 67 years of marriage and had five children Michael Gregory and his wife, Karen of Boise, ID,  Robert 'Bob' Gregory and his wife, Sherry of Lexington, NE, Daniel Gregory and his wife, Heather of Westford, MA, Susan Gregory of Bradford, MA and Colleen (Gregory) Davis of Peabody, MA. She also leaves behind 13 grandchildren, Sara Lynn Rygol, Stephanie Gregory, Lela Davis, Axel Davis, Luke Davis, Brianne Gregory, Sarah Lynn Ratliff, Chelsea Albright, Marcus Gregory, Victoria (Gregory) Bode, Christian Sewell, Mikayla (Gregory) Stillman and David Gregory. Her 13 great-grandchildren include Zander and Avery Rygol, Caroline Ratliff, Calvin Gregory, Callahan and Coral Albright, Isabelle and Charlotte Bowden, Isla Gregory, Harrison and Marshall Bode, Cillian and Haydon Stillman. Her cherished husband (“Greg”) passed away in October 2022. She is survived by her younger brother, Herman Barnard of Indianapolis, IN. She was predeceased by her parents along with an older brother Donald Barnard and younger sister Barbara (Barnard) Jackson.

Artie was a fantastic cook and baker as well as a master crafter of sewing, knitting, quilting and much more. After she and Bob relocated their family to Groveland, MA in 1961, she later worked at Western Electric Company, Haverhill Shoe Factory, Groveland Screw Company and a bank. She was an avid gardener and established beautiful gardens around the yard in Groveland. She established a “Hive” of Red Hat Women which grew to be one of the most popular clubs in the Haverhill area with Bob and his singing group as frequent entertainment. She will be remembered as a fabulous woman with a great sense of humor, a dedicated mother and a supportive friend to all who met her.

Celebration of Artie's Life will be held on Thursday, October 9, in the Driscoll Funeral Home, 309 So. Main Street, Haverhil MA, from 3:30 to 6:30 PM. Private family Interment with U.S. Army Honors will take place on October 10, at Woodlawn Cemetery, 302 Elm Street, Everett beginning at 10:30 AM. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate in her name. For guestbook, visit www.driscollcares.com

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