Robert F. Grele, beloved husband of Sue, devoted and proud father to Jonathan, Bob was loved and respected by many.
Robert F. Grele was born on December 29, 1939, in Seymour, CT where he attended public schools and graduated as President of his senior class. In 1961, Bob graduated from Gettysburg College, majoring in history, and was elected to Phi Alpha Theta, the National History Honorary Society. Bob graduated from Cornell Law school in 1964 and was a member of the Order of the Coif. That same year, he joined the law firm of Cummings & Lockwood, as its youngest attorney, where he subsequently became a partner/principal of the firm. Bob was a member of the Greenwich Bar Association (President); a member of the Connecticut and American Bar Associations and was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Quinnipiac College in 2010.
Bob was a member of various civic and philanthropic organizations and committees over the years. He was Chairman and President of the Greenwich Library Board of Trustees. He was a founder and officer of the Oceanographic Foundation, Inc., a non-profit that provided supplementary science education to students. Bob was an original member of the Selectman’s Nominations Advisory Committee; as well as having served on the Board of Directors of The United Way of Greenwich. Bob was also President of the Hilla Rebay Foundation (a collector and promoter of nonobjective art) and continued to serve as an advisory Trustee. He was a member of the Dean’s Council at Quinnipiac Law School and a member of the Town of Greenwich Board of Ethics since 2007. The town really lost a great citizen and neighbor. Bob was a member of the Riverside Yacht Club where he was an avid sailor. He served as an officer and governor of Riverside Yacht Club and was recently elected as an honorary member.
Bob loved traveling with his family and took memorable journeys with them, such as their trips to Williamsburg, Virginia, Portland Maine, Paris, Bruges, and Quebec City. He also loved sailing cruising, and skiing. He was an attentive father with a twinkle in his eye and a ready smile; Bob was diligent in his community service and his wisdom was sought after by many. Most importantly, Bob was a man of deep faith who always believed in God even in challenging times. He was courageous, kind, and wise and lived his life with integrity. He was much loved and admired by friends and associates. To those who participated with Bob in his many civic activities, Bob was viewed as a coach, a navigator, and a strong oarsman. He was a team member and will be missed by many.
A celebration of his life will take place at St Paul’s Episcopal Church, 200 Riverside Ave, Riverside on Thursday, October 13 at 1pm.
In place of flowers, please donate to the GoFundMe Account (gofund.me/a84bc30b) created to honor and remember Bob. The donations will be used to either (i) support Ability Beyond, the group home where Jonathan resides during the week, or (ii) in such other manner that Sue may designate in furtherance of Jonathan’s future care.
