Denise was born on August 19, 1955, to Kendall Gire and Francine Scholes. She was the first daughter of eleven children and a true daddy’s girl. To know her was to know love. From a young age, her life was dedicated to caring for others. She lovingly helped raise her younger siblings, poured herself into her own children and grandchildren, and spent her career in healthcare serving people with compassion and humility. Caring for others was not just something she did, it was who she was.
She was preceded in death by her parents Kendall and Francine, her brothers Everett Gire and Leon Gire, and many other loved ones. We find peace knowing she is reunited with them in Heaven.
Denise was the devoted and loving wife of Wendell Gregory, whom she cherished deeply. Together they built a life centered on faith, family, and service. Through marriage, she lovingly gained children as her own. Nick Gregory, Heather Gregory and her daughter Charlotte, Rebecca Gregory Lujan and her husband Christian Lujan and their sons Gregory and Jacob. She never made distinctions. All were loved fully and without condition.
She was the proud mother of her children Michael Veytovich, Amanda Henson and her husband Billy Henson, and Brandy Pollard. She was a loving Nana to her grandchildren Paisley Henry, Stryker Henson, and Hayden Pollard. Amanda and Brandy were twins, something she always thought was incredibly special and spoke about with joy.
Her greatest purpose and joy in life was being Nana. Nana’s house had endless snacks, open arms, and unconditional love. There were “no rules at Nana’s house” and her grandchildren could do no wrong. She never missed a ballgame, school event, or activity. To her grandchildren, Nana was magic, and in their hearts she always will be.
She was a Registered Dietetic Technician and was extremely proud of earning her college degree. She loved quilting, crafting, and could fix or create just about anything. She was an incredible cook and a natural leader, yet she never sought recognition. She quietly helped anyone in need and truly saw the good in everyone.
She is survived by her loving husband Wendell Gregory, her children Michael Veytovich, Amanda Henson and husband Billy Henson, and Brandy Pollard, her grandchildren Paisley Henry, Stryker Henson, and Hayden Pollard, her stepchildren and their families, and her siblings Clayton Hayes, preceded in death by his wife Linda, Kendall Gire and wife Brenda, Monty Gire, wife of the late Leon Gire, Ernest Gire, Rachel Banes, preceded in death by her husband Larry, Lenora Elliott, Rebecca Scholes, Bobby Scholes, and Regina Watkins, who was Rebecca’s lifelong best friend and like a sister to her, and a cherished part of our family. She also leaves behind countless nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved dearly.
Her favorite movies were Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, stories of courage, heart, and finding one’s way home. Those who knew her know how fitting that feels.
She was never afraid. She placed her full trust in God and throughout her illness was only concerned about her family. Her life was spent loving others, serving faithfully, and giving of herself without hesitation. That is her legacy, and it will live on through the many lives she touched.
She was love, she was faith, and she is now fully healed.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January 23, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada, Missouri. Funeral services will take place on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Ferry Funeral Home, with burial to follow at Moore Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made in her honor to the American Cancer Society.
