Obituaries

John Joseph “Jay” Grega III of Clarksburg, WV, passed away peacefully at the United Hospital Center on August 4, 2024, with his beloved wife and family by his side. Born on November 7, 1939, in Worthington, WV, Jay was a true family man who prioritized his loved ones above all else, even if it meant making jokes about their royal feline, Bentley, affectionately known as “Dumb Dumb.” Jay and Bentley often enjoyed taking strolls together through the house on the walker.

Jay was the son of the late John Grega Jr. and Goldie (Garrett) Grega and was preceded in death by his siblings Roy “Andy” Grega, MaryLou Bosley, Connie Mayle, and Ruth Ann Grega. He leaves behind his loving wife, Sharon Kay (Cottrill) Grega, whom he married on September 3, 1965. He was 100% sure she was the one—after all, who else would tolerate his extensive collection of Johnny Cash albums and his obsession of watching reruns of Gunsmoke?

Jay is also survived by his two boys, John Grega IV (and wife Rhonda) of Clarksburg, WV, and Mark Grega (and wife Christa) of Mooresville, NC, along with his daughter, Karen Thomason (and husband Martin) of Quiet Dell, WV. His eight grandchildren—John Grega V, Jacob Grega, Kristen Grega, Kaleb Grega, Adalay Grega, Jordan (Thomason) Johnson, Ashton Thomason, and Brayden Thomason—were his little sidekicks. He cherished every moment spent fishing, hunting, gardening, and working on small projects in the garage with them, always allowing them to help.

Jay’s love expanded even further to include his eight great-grandchildren: Aubrey, Jebediah, Bailee, Bobbi, Adriana, Ayanna, Elijah, and Owen Jay. With a twinkle in his blue eyes and a grin on his face, he adored every moment with them, even if it sometimes meant watching their antics from the comfort of his favorite recliner.

A 1958 graduate of Washington Irving High School, Jay served in the United States Navy on the USS Rogers from 1958 to 1962. After his service, he worked at Pittsburgh Plate and several other local glass factories before spending 22 years as a building mechanic at Monongalia Power Company.

When he wasn’t busy being the best Poppy around, Jay enjoyed working on jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, and crypto quotes, but his true passion was in watching Bob Ross while satisfying his sweet tooth with his numerous snacks hidden in his snack drawer.
Jay’s legacy of love, laughter, kindness, and plaid western shirts will forever be remembered by all who knew him. He never wanted to burden anyone, always standing on his own two feet and reminding us that family was everything. In his honor, let’s remember to laugh a little louder, love a little deeper, and always cherish our time together (and that plaid shirts are acceptable anywhere).

Rest easy, Poppy. Your laughter and love will echo in our hearts forever. “We’ll see you by and by.”

Family and friends may call at the Amos Carvelli Funeral Home, 201 Edison Street, Nutter Fort on Thursday, August 8th from 4:00 – 8:00 PM, where funeral services will be held on Friday, August 9th at 11:00 AM with Reverend Michael Atkinson officiating. Interment will be in the Flemington I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

Expressions of sympathy may be extended to the family at www.amoscarvelli.com.