Mission worker dies suddenly

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32706, 8 September 1971, Page 6

Mission worker dies suddenly

Mrs Gladys Irene Anne McGregor, who died in Christchurch recently, was a voluntary worker for the Christchurch City Mission for more than 23 years—the longest period of service given by any member of the mission’s voluntary staff.

At the age of 74, Mrs McGregor still rode her bicycle from her home in Spreydon to the mission and back—a total of about eight miles—once or twice a week, excepting in wet weather. She worked in the mission’s clothing store until a week before her sudden death. During her years of work for the mission, Mrs McGregor made more than 1500 pairs of boys’ pants, more than 1000 aprons, and many other garments from reject materials for the needy. Some of her work was sent to England. Mrs McGregor told one of her sons that she had used enough cotton thread on her

sewing machine making these garments to encircle the world twice. She was also a keen knitter, and made several hundred garments for her children and grandchildren. Mrs McGregor had a long association with the Anglican Church at Owenga, Chatham Islands, where she and her family, lived for 20 years, and in New Zealand. At the time of her death she was treasurer of the Addington branch of the Association of Anglican Women. Bom in Woolston, Mrs McGregor was a daughter of the late Mr David Archer, one of the first Christchurch blacksmiths.

She married Mr R. A. McGregor soon after he was invalided home from service in France at the end of the First World War. They went to live at Owenga, where Mr McGregor was foreman in Owenga Fisheries, Ltd. At the Chatham Islands, 13 of their 14 children were bom. As their family grew up and began leaving to work in New Zealand, Mr and Mrs McGregor decided to return themselves in 1942 with their five younger children. Mr McGregor,died in 1960. Mrs McGregor is survived by nine sons and five daughters, 46 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.