Mollie Lynn Gregory

Mollie Lynn Peregrine Gregory left this earth peacefully on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. She was the daughter of Oral and Olive Venita Peregrine and sister to Myron Peregrine who all preceded her in death. Nearly 49 years ago, on Dec. 21, 1974, Mollie married the love of her life John Gregory who survives her. Also surviving Mollie is her dear sister-in-law Kathy Gregory Sepiol, who was a constant support.

In her 72 years Mollie fully embraced life and all who crossed paths with her. Whether it was on the farm where she was raised and showed prize winning horses in 4-H, in the Speedway neighborhood that she and John called home or in the many halls of education where she studied and taught, Mollie made friends and turned them into family.

A 1972 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Indiana State University, Mollie took her BS degree in English and Journalism and landed a teaching job at Hinsbrook Schools in Darien, IL. After a year, she moved on to Kankakee Valley High School in DeMotte, IN for 12 years during which she earned her Master of Liberal Studies Degree from Valparaiso University. At Kankakee she taught English, Newspaper and became English Dept. Chair. Then she came to Avon High School in 1985 where she taught until retirement in 2010.  At AHS she taught a variety of English classes, developed and implemented a Cadet Teaching Program and served as yearbook advisor from 1985 -1997. Furthermore, Mollie became a published author while at AHS with her book Students as Teachers: A High School Training Resource.

During her impressive, dedicated teaching career, Mollie garnered several recognitions. Some of those include Avon Community School Corporation Teacher of the Year, winner of the Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship Grant, winner of the Best Buy Technology Grant and winner of a Donors Choose Grant. She was a supervisor of student teachers, a mentor to beginning teachers, a presenter at Ball State University’s Journalism Day, and the list goes on.

The real measure of Mollie’s life was in her relationship building. She connected with students in a genuine way that made them know they had value. She encouraged their growth, listened to their challenges, inspired their love of literature, and stayed connected to them well beyond their high school graduation. She had the same impactful engagement with fellow teachers, being especially helpful and encouraging to new teachers and always offering support and a helping hand to veteran teachers who came to her regularly for consultation and problem solving.  She was a force for good in the lives of everyone who knew her.

In her adult life Mollie got pleasure out of travel as she led many European student educational trips and enjoyed the annual trip that she and John took to New Orleans for many years where life was a party, and Mollie was the life of that party! As Speedway residents, Mollie and John were also devoted fans of the Indy 500 spending lots of pre-race time in the garage area meeting and taking pictures with drivers and joining the die-hards for the qualification runs and the ultimate “greatest spectacle in racing” on the big day.

Mollie had a zest for life that was infectious, and her family and friends will celebrate her with that same zest. All are welcome to come and share stories & memories…Thursday, May 4 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Avon High School Library, Enter Door #1, 7575 Oriole Ave., Avon, IN.

Mollie’s sister-in-law will also hold a private, neighborhood gathering at a later date.

Donations to honor Mollie’s teaching career and her love of students may be made to the Avon Federation of Teachers Scholarship Fund, c/o Megan Erickson, Avon High School, 7575 Oriole Ave., Avon, IN 46123.