The Rev. Dr. Angus Walker McGregor died peacefully in Greensboro, NC on October 28, 2019 after a courageous journey with Lewy body dementia. He was born in 1939 and grew up on the family dairy farm in Hopkins, SC. He was a graduate of Clemson University and Union Theological Seminary and was ordained into the ministry in 1962. He earned his doctorate of ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago in 1975. He served what is now called the Presbyterian Church (USA) in various roles.
He began his career with Madison Presbyterian Church in Madison, NC. He was the founding pastor of Community in Christ Presbyterian Church in Greensboro and served as an Associate General Presbyter of then Presbytery del Salvador beginning in 1977 in Corpus Christi, Texas. In 1984, he was a distinguished resident Merrill Fellow at Harvard Divinity School in Boston.
In 1986 McGregor responded to a call in interim ministry and found as he said “his vocational sweet spot.” He served over 20 congregations as an interim in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina. He was a founding member of the National Faculty for Presbyterian Interim Ministry. He officially retired in 2012, but served as supply pastor at Christ Community Presbyterian Church in High Point until 2015.
Growing up as a young man in the South, Angus was profoundly impacted by his own awakening to human suffering and deeply entrenched injustices. As a student, and throughout his career, he remained committed to the power of protest and to reconciliation and justice ministries. As a witness to faith, he actively supported interfaith dialogue and collaboration to address our most challenging and divisive cultural issues. He was especially passionate about immigration, gender and LGBTQ equality and civil rights. He spoke truth to power with conviction, intellect, grace and humor. He invited and welcomed all to the table.
Dr. McGregor is survived by his wife of 57 years, Wynn Horton McGregor; their three children and their spouses, Angus & Kayoko Shiomi McGregor (Kyoto, Japan), Winston McGregor & Dale Mitchell (Greensboro, NC) and Kate & Larry Mosley (Atlanta, GA); their six grandchildren, Kaisei, Parker, Liam, Freeman, Janie Kate and Walker; his sister Jane Ann McGregor (Lexington, SC) and sister-in-law Betty Ulmer McGregor (Summerville, SC). He was preceded in death by his parents Rhett and Kate McGregor, his sister and brother-in-law Catherine and Bill Faver, and his brother Sam McGregor. Angus loved and was adored by his extended family of cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, in-laws and those who married into the clan. He treasured his friends. He was a great dancer, an excellent bartender and an attentive listener. He loved good books and good food, dynamic conversation, lively music and long naps. His parting words to his beloved wife Wynn as he neared death were “Celebrate. It’s time.”
A celebration of life is planned for November 16, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. at Guilford Park Presbyterian Church in Greensboro with his niece Rev. Lib McGregor Simmons, nephew
Rev. Dr. Sam McGregor and Rev. Caroline Sell, his attentive pastor during his last months of illness, presiding. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Dr. McGregor’s memory to the International Civil Rights Center & Museum , 134 S. Elm St., Greensboro, NC, 27401. sitinmovement.org
