Gregory (Greg) Charles Kornegay passed away on April 15, 2026, likely pausing at the Pearly Gates to share a few jokes with St. Peter and to ask him for some turtle soup (“and make it snappy”).

Greg was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on May 27, 1953. His family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, shortly after he was born. He grew up attending First Presbyterian Church, graduated from East Mecklenburg High School and attended Appalachian State University, where he played on the soccer team. Greg eventually settled in Benson, North Carolina, where he lived for most of his life. He spent the majority of his career working in sales for Baldwin Brass and other giftware lines as a manufacturer’s representative.

Greg loved the Lord and was a dedicated member at Providence Presbyterian Church in Benson. He had a memory like a steel trap and could recite the Christmas Story by heart. He was welcoming and kind, treating everyone he met like an old friend.

He found great joy in the simple things: a morning at the North Carolina State Farmers Market chatting with vendors followed by a workout at the gym, an afternoon cheering for the Carolina Hurricanes, or an evening playing trivia. He held a special place in his heart for his close friends and family, particularly his brother and his Woodard family cousins, with whom he grew up visiting the family farm in Tennessee.

Above all, Greg loved a good laugh. He had a natural knack for brightening a room and took genuine joy in making people smile with a joke. He was happiest when he was making others smile, firmly believing that the best jokes were the ones shared and reshared with a mischievous grin.

Greg is survived by his brother, Tim Kornegay, and wife Prudy; his nieces and nephews, Mary Kornegay Harrell and husband Chris, and their daughter Eliza (Teddy); Matthew Kornegay; Katherine Kornegay and fiancé Ned Spratt; and a large extended family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar and Sue Kornegay, and his nephew, John Kornegay.

In Greg’s honor, the family asks that you simply tell someone a joke or do something to make someone laugh today.

There will be a memorial service honoring Greg’s life at First Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, April 29, at 2 p.m. The family will also receive guests at a celebration of Greg’s life at Providence Presbyterian Church in Benson, North Carolina, at a date and time to be announced.

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