Obit: Griese, George Gregory Jr. (1923 – 2006)
Contact: History Buffs

----Surnames: Griese, Doran, Hall, Alexander, Koch, Knoll, Santana

----Source: Ashland Daily Press ((Ashland, Ashland Co., Wis.)) Mon., 20 Nov. 2006

Griese, George Gregory Jr. (20 Mar. 1923 – 6 Nov. 2006)

George Gregory Griese Jr., M.D., pediatric cardiologist and former president of the American Heart Association of Wisconsin, passed away at his home near Bayfield, on November 6, 2006.

Born March 20, 1923 in Lakewood, Ohio, Dr. Griese attended Culver Military Academy, graduating cum laude as a cadet captain. He enrolled at The Ohio State University, but after the United States entered the war in Europe, left school to accept a commission in 1942 as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He fought across France with the Third Army. After being wounded in action near Metz, he served as aide-de-camp to General Doran in the 12th Army Group for the duration of the war. His experiences in World War II deeply influenced his decision to pursue a career in medicine.

Dr. Griese returned to Ohio State to finish his undergraduate studies. In 1946, he wed Margaret Hart Peters. The couple settled in Cleveland when George entered medical school at (Case) Western Reserve University. After completing medical school, he moved his growing family to Pennsylvania to intern at Philadelphia General Hospital. He later completed his residencies and a heart fellowship in pediatrics at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. After a brief period in private practice in the Philadelphia area, Dr. Griese joined the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield in 1957, where he practiced pediatric cardiology for the next 30 years. Particularly interested in the relationship of childhood diet to adult heart disease, Dr. Griese initiated Heartwatch, a landmark study of 3,600 schoolchildren K-12) to help identify risk factors in the development of heart disease among family groups. At his retirement in 1988, his friends and colleagues honored him as a tireless advocate for the benefit of children.

Active with the American Heart Association of Wisconsin, he served as its president from 1981 to 1983 and was honored to receive the Association's Grand Award in 1986.

He and his wife Peg enjoyed years of sailing, dancing and traveling. They raised their six children on a historic 40-acre farm, half of which they donated to the City of Marshfield for a park after their retirement to Bayfield. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at their Lake Superior cabin, where they were often visited by their children, grandchildren and many lifelong friends.

A devoted husband, father and grandfather, Dr. Griese was preceded in death by his parents, Gladys and George Griese Sr. and by his sister, Carolyn Hall of Gates Mills, Ohio.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret; six children: Lynne Alexander (John) of Greensboro, N.C., George G. Griese III (Joyce) of Wausau, Christopher Griese (Vicki) of Stillwater, Minn., Carolyn Koch (James) of Middleton, Jeffrey Griese (Jayne) of Barrington, Ill., Meg Knoll (Michael) of Bayfield, and Elcior Santana (Julia), his Brazilian AFS son, of Washington, D.C.; and 13 grandchildren. He will be loved and remembered by his family and many friends for his humor, keen intelligence, kindness and innate sense of fairness. He was a gentleman in the very best sense of the word.

The memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sat. Nov. 25 at the East wing of Marshfield Clinic, 1000 North Oak Street, Marshfield. Contributions may be made to the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, 1000 North Oak Ave., Marshfield WI 54449 or to Regional Hospice Services, Inc., 2101 Beaser Avenue, Suite 3, Ashland, WI 54806.

Bratley Funeral Home in Washburn is assisting the family with arrangements.