Ray McGregor

Published 12:09 pm Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Ray DeMont McGregor Junior passed away March 18 at the age of 89. Ray was born May 3, 1934, in Morgan County, Ohio, to parents Ray “Bill” McGregor Senior and Catherine Bell McGregor. Ray was a true self-made man who learned the meatpacking business from the ground up in Ohio. In 1979, Ray struck out on his own, founding Cumberland Gap Provisions Company in Middlesboro, Kentucky. Ray worked alongside his son and daughter as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of what he fondly referred to as “The Plant” until its sale to Smithfield Foods in 2003. Ray’s decision to offer stock options to employees would change the lives of many. Ray was modest and never boastful, but his generosity to his community was widely known. Ray was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Rosemary Woodward McGregor, his sons Matthew McGregor and Ray “R.D.” McGregor III, and his grandson Shawn McGregor. He is survived by his sister Carolyn Trout of The Villages, Florida; daughter Christy McGregor Maiden (Anthony) of Middlesboro; daughter-in-law Debbie McGregor of Fostoria, Ohio; grandchildren Amanda McGregor (Brian) of Dallas, Texas; Jason Miller (Amy) of Fostoria; Mykel McGregor Resino (Frank) of San Diego; Abby McGregor DaMota (Andrew) of New Bedford, Massachusetts; and Kristen Maiden (Marcie) of Lexington, as well as his great-grandchildren. Services will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Covenant United Methodist Church in Middlesboro (http://www.covenantky.org) or Friends of the Bell County Animal Shelter (https://www.shelter-friends.org/donate).

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