Priscilla Richardson

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After an Attic Productions Saturday matinee of "The God Committee," I met -- well, you know me, I introduced myself to -- Fincastle's Liniel "Linnie" Gregory, 68, who played the role of a Catholic priest.

One of my first questions: "How did you get that unusual name?" It turns out that his paternal grandmother "wanted a large family but did not want a bunch of common names," Gregory answered. The result? The boys were named Roniel, Ganiel and Liniel. Liniel became Gregory's father. The girls were Willie Ramona, Naomi Zell, Vivian Grace and Fanny Mae.

Gregory's grandmother certainly achieved her goal. And the family's size has turned out to be useful, as they "all take care of each other," Gregory said. For example, when his daughter had premature triplets nine years ago, the whole family pitched in. With a routine schedule of helping with feeding, bathing and so forth, different ones took the night shift and others the day. The trio are now celebrating their ninth birthdays, so the family must have given good care.

When Gregory married Fincastle's Helen Madine, Jim Madine's widow, in 1998, her one child added to his five made another large family. Plus don't forget Gregory's mother, Beverley Gregory, who lives in Roanoke but manages to get to all of Gregory's performances on the Attic stage.

Although very much a family man, Gregory makes as much time as possible for Attic. "I'm extremely interested in Attic because it's great for citizens and children to have this in the community," he said. "Geraldine [Lawson] inspired me, so as long as I can help them I will."

And yes, he did do a good job playing the priest. I know because I'm not the only judge. An actual priest attended one of the performances and complimented Gregory on the realism of his portrayal.

Gregory's career, except for five years working with an attorney in general practice, was spent with trucking companies dealing with transportation safety and law. Back in the days when the now defunct Interstate Commerce Commission ruled trucking matters, he would argue legal cases before the commission. Once he even took a case up to the federal 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, after getting special permission to represent his company there. He won.

Although he argued transportation law, he was and is not a lawyer. He attended a University of Virginia extension that then was located on Grandin Avenue in Roanoke. He learned transportation law alongside many railroad employees, but ended up in the trucking business, where he is to this day. He started working part time about a year ago, but when the safety director resigned, he went back to full time. He's now the acting safety director and his company's corporate secretary.

Safety is Gregory's big thing. When big rigs try to run you off the interstate, chances are they're being driven by what he calls "gypsies," truckers not working for a large firm. His drivers don't do that, he said.

"I love computers," Gregory said. "We have satellite communication with our trucks; it's like sending a lawyer and a secretary out with each truck and driver. I know where the truck is every 15 minutes, how fast he's going, how much fuel he's using, even how many panic stops he's making. Years ago, the driver would call in using an 800 number. I had no way to know if he was in Detroit or in bed at home." He does his job so well that in 1997 and 1999 the Virginia Trucking Association named him safety professional of the year.

Gregory's full life also includes volunteer service as a staff sergeant in the Virginia Defense Force, a National Guard subsidiary. "When they call out the Guard, the Virginia Defense Force takes over," Gregory explained. "We look after armories when the guard is deployed and do things like crowd control at festivals or help after a flood. After 9/11 happened, I got patriotic again and had to give something back to this country that's given so much to me. I was over the age limit, but they let me join."

Play on, Gregory, play on.