Mildred Imogene Bridges was born on Saturday, February 27, 1926 in Lyon County, Kentucky, the second child born to Albert Claud and Ethelene Bonner Bridges. Her father, Albert Claud was born in the Maple Grove Community of Trigg County, Kentucky. He had served in World War I and after his discharge; he enrolled in vocational training in Bowling Green, Kentucky. While there he met Ethelene Bonner who was from the Mont Community in the land between the rivers section of Trigg County. They were married on April 17, 1922 at the courthouse in Eddyville, Kentucky. Ethelene was the daughter of Oscar and Beulah Gray Bonner.
Mildred had three siblings. Her only sister, Margaret Virginia Bridges was born on January 5, 1923. Margaret died on January 4, 1933 at the age of 10 of influenza complicated by cerebral meningitis. Mildred had two younger brothers, Albert Claud Bridges, Jr., known as Buster, who was born on January 26, 1935 and died on March 4, 2002; and Billy Franklin Bridges who was born on January 15, 1937 and died on December 28, 1992.
During the 1940’s Mildred lived in Eddyville, Kentucky with her parents and her two brothers. Mildred’s cousin, Pearl Bridges, who was 18 in 1940, also lived with them. In addition they had a boarder, Amos Gray, who lived with them Amos worked as a guard at the Kentucky State Penitentiary. Her father worked as a mail carrier at that time.
On June 7, 1947, Mildred married Eugene Franklin Gregory. Eugene or Gene as he was known was born on February 13, 1926 and was a native of Lyon County, Kentucky and the son of Leland Franklin and Georgia Edna Lawrence Gregory. After their marriage, Mildred and Gene moved to Decatur, Illinois where Gene used his GI Bill benefits to attend James Millikin University. He also worked as a press operator at the Grigo Company.
While in Decatur, Mildred and Gene had their first child, Claudia Gregory, who was born on April 19, 1949. Unfortunately, Claudia died five days later on April 24, 1949 while still in the hospital. Claudia was buried in the Graceland Cemetery in Decatur.
After Claudia’s death, Mildred and Gene returned to Kentucky and settled in Paducah. Gene’s college classes in accounting and business helped him to obtain a position as a bank teller with the Citizen Bank and Trust Company in Paducah. He and Mildred purchased a home in Paducah in 1951 where they lived through the 1950’s. Here their family grew to include three sons, Leland Michael Gregory, born September 12, 1950, Leslie Alan Gregory, born February 7, 1955 and Eric Franklin Gregory, born November 17, 1957.
Gene became very successful with his banking career. Starting out as a bank teller, he soon grew through the ranks of the banking industry and eventually became a bank president. The rise to the top of his banking career required the Gregory family to relocate from Paducah to South Carolina in the early 1960’s.
Mildred began suffering with lupus during her later years and she died on May 5, 1990 in Belton, South Carolina at the age of 64. She was buried in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Belton. Her husband, Gene, died in 2006 and was buried next to her.
Tombstone of Eugene and Mildred Bridges Gregory
LINEAGE: (Mildred Imogene Bridges was the daughter of Albert Claud and Ethelene Bonner Bridges, granddaughter of Alfred Franklin and Minnie Lancaster Bridges and the great-granddaughter of Simco N. and Emeline Martin Bridges. Simco was the third child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges. William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges. Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)
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