Francis B. Gregory was born Aug. 13, 1917 in Colville, Wash. He passed away peacefully at his home following a short illness on Oct. 31, 2007, surrounded by loving friends and family.

Francis worked in the timber industry his entire life. As a young man during the Depression he worked as a logger felling trees with his dad and brother, later he worked as a highline rigger and drove log trucks. He finished his career as a driving instructor and safety officer for the Weyerhaeuser Co. in Snoqualmie, Enumclaw and White River. While working at Weyerhaeuser, Francis met and married the love of his life, Denise (Denny) Driscoll.

Following their retirement, Francis and Denny moved to the Okanogan and built their homestead off Rehmke Road out of Tonasket. Together they enjoyed hunting and fishing, but best of all they loved their horses and horseback riding and camping. They had taken packhorses into the most rugged and remote areas of Washington’s back country many times, sharing their adventures with grandchildren, family and friends. Francis and Denny were charter members of the Okanogan Valley Chapter of the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington. Denny passed away earlier this year.

Francis is survived by his daughters, Charlotte and Janet Gregory; Charlotte’s children: Katherine, Randy and Ronald; Denny’s son, Pat Driscoll and his wife, Laura and their children Ryanne, Katie and Nathan; and grandchildren Nina and Eleni.

Francis has been interned alongside his loving wife Denny on Whidbey Island, Wash. Francis and Denny greatly enjoyed their years in Tonasket and had requested that all remembrances be sent to the Okanogan Regional Home Health and Hospice in Okanogan or to the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington in Tonasket.