Leslie Ann Burtner Gregory, 67, passed away on Saturday, September 24, 2016 in Dalhart, Texas.
Funeral Service will be at 3:00 pm on Thursday, September 29, 2016 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Dumas, Texas. There will be viewing followed by a service in Kansas City, KS at 2 pm Saturday, October 1, 2016 at the Porter Funeral Home in Kansas City, KS. Burial to follow in Osborne, KS. Arrangements provided by Horizon Funeral Home and Porter Funeral Home.
Leslie Ann Burtner Gregory was born October 25, 1948 in Buffalo, NY to Orville Leslie Burtner and Mildred Nadine (Davidson) Burtner. Her family moved back to Kansas City, KS in 1953. She was a proud member of the Wyandotte High School class of 1966, whose 50th class reunion is being held Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 2016.
She graduated from the University of Kansas in 1970, earning a BA in Latin American Studies. She graduated from the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, TX in 1991, earning a Master’s of Divinity degree. Leslie was an Episcopal Priest, having been ordained by Bishop Sam Hulsey May 8, 1992 in Lubbock, TX. She served several churches in Texas including Brownfield, Kermit, Andrews, Monahans, St. John’s in Odessa and, since 2009, St. Paul’s in Dumas. She was a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Permian Basin Inter-Tribal Powwow in Odessa. In 1995, she became heavily involved in prison ministry, first in Odessa and then for the entire Episcopal Diocese of the Northwest.
Leslie married Alan Bryant Gregory in Kansas City, KS on July 31, 1988. They rented a U-Haul and moved to Austin, Texas for her to begin her Seminary studies eight days later. Leslie and Alan spent their married lives in Austin, Wilson, Crane and Dalhart, TX. Their daughter, Alexandra was born March 26, 1990 in Austin, TX. We believe that Alexandra was the first child born to a female Seminarian in the Episcopal system. When Leslie started breast-feeding Alex in classes, the Seminary was forced to create a policy allowing that to be done. Leslie loved singing and some of the happiest times in her life were spent singing in the choir at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Dumas, Texas.
She was proceeded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Alan Gregory of Dalhart, TX; daughter Alexandra and husband Clayton Parker of Odessa, TX; two brothers and their wives, Dale and Carolyn Burtner of Olympia, WA and Charles and Ruth Ann Burtner of Scottsdale, AZ; two nephews, two nieces, four grand-nephews and three grand-nieces.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Dumas, TX.