OBITUARY: Shelba “Shelby” Gregory

Shelba “Shelby” Gregory, age 89, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 20th, 2026, in Hermitage, Tennessee.

Shelba Jean Draper was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday, December 31st, 1936, to the late Floyd Boss Draper and Clester Minchey Draper. She was a graduate of DuPont High School and was a dedicated and hardworking employee of Genesco, where she worked as a shoe cutter for more than 45 years.

First and foremost, Shelby was a born-again Christian, and her faith was the foundation of her life. She was a devoted member of First Baptist Church Mt. Juliet, where she faithfully participated in Sunday School. She loved reading and studying the Bible, and her faith was evident in the way she lived her life and cared for those around her.

Shelby was a hardworking woman who took exceptional care of her family. Family meant everything to her, and she was happiest when she was surrounded by the people she loved. She was a loving and giving person who never hesitated to help others and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Her kindness, generosity, and loving spirit touched the lives of countless people.

Mrs. Gregory loved the comfort of her own home, where she enjoyed the simple things in life, including reading and spending time with those she loved. She was a proper lady who always took pride in presenting herself well and was known for being impeccably put together. She was also a wonderful cook, and her famous fried chicken and strawberry cake were enjoyed and cherished by her family and friends.

Shelby leaves behind a beautiful legacy of faith, love, hard work, generosity, and devotion to family. She will be remembered as a woman who loved deeply, gave freely, worked faithfully, and lived her life with grace and purpose. Her family will forever treasure the memories she created and the countless ways she showed them what it meant to love and care for others.

Her faith was her foundation, her family was her greatest joy, and her love will remain in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.

The Funeral Service will be held in the chapel of Sellars Funeral Home at Mt. Juliet on Thursday, July 23rd, 2026, at 01:00 p.m. Interment will follow in Hermitage Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends for visitation on Thursday, July 23rd from 10:00 a.m. until time of service.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by husband, Roy H. Gregory; son, Michael Hunter; grandson, Christopher Hunter; siblings, Louis Draper, Charles Draper, Evelyn Wheeler, and Max Draper.

She is survived by daughter, Kathy (Kenny) Cook; grandchildren, Jamie Hunter (Stuart) Thompson and Kristy Hunter (Eric) Lankford; sister, Reba Draper; great-grandchildren, Kirstin Hunter, Michael Reeves, Blake Reeves, Abi Thompson, and Carter Thompson.

Arrangements by Sellars Funeral Home at Mt. Juliet, 2229 N. Mt. Juliet Road, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122, 615-758-5459, obituary line 615-758-8818, www.sellarsfuneralservices.com

For more obituaries visit our obituaries page.

This obituary was published by Sellars Funeral Home at Mt. Juliet.

Share on Facebook

Tweet