On Tuesday, October 12, 2021, (The SUNSET) Susan Bentley Cregger, a long-term resident of Roanoke, Virginia and Beloved by many Relatives and Friends in the Star City and Beyond, was granted admission into The Heavenly Gates, at the age of 85. Susan, born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on September 23, 1936 (Her SUNRISE), was the daughter of a Methodist Minister (Floyd Thomas Bentley and her Mother, Edith Bayne Bentley) and traveled all around the Commonwealth, moving nearly every two years, until she decided Roanoke was to be her permanent home. It was then, while she was hitting her books diligently (being an A+ student and highly intelligent) where her beautiful looks became noticed by a fine Vinton, Virginia gentleman, Frank Albert Cregger, at a dance held in nearby Vinton. After getting permission from her parents, she wed this equally as attractive man. The gorgeous couple married young, juggling his medical interests and career in the U.S. Navy while she kept hitting the books so much that she attained the title of Valedictorian of William Byrd High School of Vinton, Virginia. In their early twenties, Frank and Susan decided to get involved in building their own home, from the ground up, located on Preston Avenue in Roanoke. Through that experience grew their love of construction and real estate. Shortly after setting up residence there, their oldest child was born by the name of Barton Bentley Cregger. He was their pride and joy until their daughter Stephanie Cregger (Reger) came along another 3 and a half years later, where she became the heart strung competition to her older brother. Both children, being fairly close in years, often had similar interests and friends, and were known as “brainiacs” too, following in Susan’s footsteps, of mixing a wide variety of interests with the love of knowledge. For much of Susan’s working career, while the rest of her family flourished, she worked in the mortgage investment industry, back and forth in the banking field, and then took the bold entrepreneurial step as the lead, managing broker of Cregger and Company (a successful real estate firm which she and Frank operated), having grown the business to as many as a total of 10 agents. The couple, having so many interests, juggled this experience into other careers thereafter, where Frank became an orthotist, while Susan worked for another real estate firm for many years. When she was about 41 years old, she decided she wanted more career advancement and then pursued a degree in Business Management from Virginia Western Community College, where she, once again, attained the distinctive title of Valedictorian. It was that very same graduation year that 3 out of the 4 Creggers all graduated: Susan took the lead as Valedictorian, Bart graduated with Honors from The University of Virginia, and Stephanie graduated 7th in a class of over 500 from William Fleming Senior High School. With her degree in hand, Susan got into the banking field where she worked with Trust Investments primarily. She worked for many years in Downtown Roanoke as a Banker, retiring in this role. Franked continued in his orthotics career for a while, though they eventually retired together. Once again, they built another home, from the ground up, a long, custom ranch, which Frank and Uncle Elias Abu-Saba helped design, and which was positioned in Botetourt County (with a Roanoke address). Susan and Frank lived there for just over 20 years when Frank was admitted into Heaven. Susan continued to entertain and invite friends over until she downsized into another beautiful home, located down the road in Altamira Development. Susan relied heavily on her friends and Church family to carry her through her last 15 years of Life’s challenges. She bravely endured the loss of her eldest son just 5 months after her husband was admitted into Heaven. Being an incredibly strong and optimistic Religious Warrior, Susan took on many Church administration and volunteer roles, joined the Electra Chapter of The Eastern Star, did lots of sewing projects, played her organ, continued to use her knowledge of shorthand whenever possible, and traveled some with her daughter, Stephanie, to many places in the United States. She loved People beyond measure, and she had an incredible SMILE. Her warmth radiated to many, and her strong Faith carried her through her last years, though she found profound happiness the past three years while living with her son-in-law and daughter. Susan was surround by wonderful health aids though her recently most dedicated aids were Chris Hedgepeth and Deloris “Dee Dee” Brooken, both of King William, Virginia. Susan lived her final 6+ months of her life in gorgeous Tidewater, Virginia, where she often would gaze out at the Rapphannock River and lightly yell out: I see a Boat!” Perhaps it was her really telling us that she could, on the horizon, “see God” who eventually docked nearby to board Susan for her final voyage home into Eternity. She was surrounded by her family while crossing into the Kingdom of God on her custom Boat. Her primary and faithful caregivers were her daughter, Stephanie Cregger Reger along with her son-in-law, Steven A. Reger. Other living siblings are her brothers: Floyd Edward Bentley of Llano, Texas and Samuel Bayne Bentley of Palo Alto, California. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her loving two sisters (Joan Bentley Hoelzer and Mary Edith Bentley Abu-Saba) , and her son (Barton Bentley Cregger). Survivors are other Roanoke relatives, cousins located everywhere, and Friends located in Roanoke and beyond. Loving neighbors/friends, Bill and Susan Wilkinson, of Roanoke, Virginia, who were always nearby and an incredible to the Cregger family for the past 35+ years. In recent years, her super close friends were numerous in Altamira, though were foremost her next-door-neighbors, Erdinne (Mom’s replacement of Chef Extraordinaire and sweetest Friend in the World), Sonny, and Mark Snider. In lieu of flowers, Susan would love it if people would kindly consider contributions to Huntington Court United Methodist Church (building fund), where she was a member for over 60 years, or Shriner’s Crippled Children Hospital via the Kazim Temple in Roanoke.

The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 p.m. on Sunday, October 17, 2021, at Oakey’s North Chapel. The Farewell Service will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at Oakey’s North Chapel with the incredible Pastor and long-time friend, Jeff Wilson of Huntington Court United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens.