Jettaka McGregor Gammon, Colonel, United States Army (Retired), 56, died suddenly at her home in Greensboro, North Carolina, on August 27, 2016. Jettaka was born into an Army family in Munich, Germany on September 2, 1959 to Billy Ray McGregor, Jr., Sergeant First Class, USA (Ret), by whom she was predeceased, and Vyetta Hensley McGregor, by whom she is survived. She had a dear brother, Billy Ray McGregor, III, Master Sergeant, USA, (Ret) who preceded her in death. Jettaka leaves behind her husband and love of her life, Tracy Gammon of Greensboro, six beloved “bonus” children, five grandchildren (who knew her as “Mimi”), a niece and two nephews. After graduating from Thomas Dale High School in Chester, Virginia, Jettaka attended Longwood College in Farmville, Virginia and graduated in 1981 as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a B.A. in Business. Upon graduation, she was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army and was branch assigned to the Army Medical Service Corps. During Jettaka’s 25 year career as an Army Officer, she held increasingly responsible staff and command positions including assignment to the 2nd Infantry Division, Republic of Korea (just miles from the demilitarized zone); assignments in Germany, Saudi Arabia and the Pentagon, culminating as the Commanding Officer of the largest medical logistics distribution center in the Department of Defense which supported all military hospitals and units in Europe and deployed forces at the outbreak of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jettaka was a singularly successful Army Officer, punctuated with early promotion to the ranks of Major, Lieutenant Colonel, and Colonel. Her extensive military education includes the Army Command and General Staff College and the US Army War College as an Army War College Fellow at the Department of Health and Human Services. She has a M.A. in Personnel Management from Troy State University. Jettaka’s many awards and decorations include three Legion of Merit Awards, the Bronze Star Medal, six Meritorious Service Medals, the Southwest Asia Service Ribbon, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, and the Expert Field Medical Badge. She is also a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit. In 2011, Jettaka was reunited with her college sweetheart and moved to Greensboro, North Carolina where they married. Upon her retirement from the Army, she worked at Owens & Minor, Inc., in Richmond, Virginia until 2013 and within a few months discovered that her passion to serve was still a major driver in her life. Along with her husband Tracy and two other business partners, she founded VG Global Solutions LLC and resumed her passion to serve and for taking care of those around her. Jettaka loved her family and large circle of friends. To say she loved her country is an understatement. She enjoyed working hard, solving problems, and helping others to be the best they could be. She touched the hearts of all those with whom she came in contact and she will be dearly missed but never forgotten. Jettaka’s qualities were unique indeed and she had that special touch in which she was able to make everyone’s day brighter and more fulfilling. Jettaka’s light was so bright in the world that even though she is gone the light remains. Her extended and loving family include Katherine Hunter Gammon and Courtney Elizabeth Gammon; her sister-in-law Sharon Horrobin and her husband Rip Burroughs, and children Billy Ray McGregor, IV and Alexandria June McGregor, and nephew Sergeant Robert Michael Kontz, USA, and his wife Stacie; Jennifer Alexander and children Sam and Reagan Karlen, Captain Ryan Alexander, USA and his wife Hayleigh and three children Madison, Kennedy, and Conor; Aaron Alexander; Captain Sean Alexander, USA. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Jettaka McGregor Gammon Memorial Scholarship Foundation, in care of VG Global Solutions LLC, 823 N. Elm Street, Greensboro, North Carolina 27401. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 3rd at 1 pm at Christ and Grace Episcopal Church, 1545 S. Sycamore St., Petersburg, Virginia 23805
Interment is planned for Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. Details will be provided at a later date. Funeral arrangements are by JT Morriss & Son Funeral Home, 3050 W Hundred Rd, Chester, Virginia 23831 (804) 748-2500. Please leave memorial expressions and obtain additional information at
www.jtmorriss.com
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