[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 5, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2215-E2216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN MEMORY OF TED GREGORY, A CINCINNATI LEGEND
______
HON. ROB PORTMAN
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, December 5, 2001
Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Ted
Gregory, a friend and constituent who passed away on Sunday, December
2. Ted Gregory was a wonderful person who built a legacy based on his
landmark restaurants, his generosity and community service.
Born in Windsor, Ontario, he grew up in Detroit. He moved to
Montgomery, Ohio when it was still a rural area, bought the former
McCabe's Inn and renamed it Montgomery Inn. Six years later, his wife
Matula developed a secret barbecue sauce recipe that made the Inn a
legend.
The restaurants, combined with Ted's warm personality and business
acumen, made him a legend. Eventually, Ted's operation expanded, with
the addition of three other dining venues in Cincinnati and Northern
Kentucky. According to Restaurants and Institutions magazine, the
industry's leading trade publication, Montgomery Inn is the leading rib
restaurant chain in the U.S.--over 15 tons are sold each week. His
employees were devoted to him--many were with him twenty years or more.
Although Ted was a good businessman, he was also a lot of fun.
Wherever he went, he always brought a smile and his endless good humor
with him. When Bob Hope visited Cincinnati to support the Bob Hope
House, he and Ted became good friends. Many other former Presidents and
celebrities visited Ted's restaurants to enjoy the famed ribs,
including Presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, Vice President Dick
Cheney, Tom Selleck, and Don Rickles.
His warmth extended to helping others. He generously supported the
Cincinnati FreeStore/FoodBank, St. Rita's School for the Deaf, Sycamore
High School, Bob Hope House, and Riding for the Handicapped.
All of us in Cincinnati will miss Ted Gregory's warmth, humor and
love for life, and we extend our deepest sympathies to Matula and their
children, Dean, Tom, Vickie and Terry.
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