Michael Francis Grieco

(April 5, 1931 - February 3, 2015)

Dr. Michael F. Grieco, DDS, CDR USNR (Ret.), passed away peacefully on February 3, 2015, surrounded by members of his immediate family, from complications due to an infection. He was 83 years old.

Born in West New York, NJ in 1931 and raised in North Bergen NJ, he was the son of Michael Francis Grieco Sr. and Jeanne Monte-Carlo Grieco.

Dr. Grieco earned his BS in Biology from St. Peters College in 1952 and his DDS from Temple Dental School in 1956.  It was at Temple he met his devoted wife of 58 years, Joan Helen Caton.

Dr. Grieco actually started his military career in the U.S. Army, but after graduating from Army Medical Training in 1952 he was accepted into the U.S. Navy Dental Corps., where he served both on Active Duty and in the Reserves until his retirement in 1974.

When he left Active Duty in 1959 he started a private Dentistry practice that in the 1960's grew from an in-home office, to occupying the second floor of a commercial building on Long Island NY.  During that time he had an opportunity to help the Apollo Space Program, providing dental support for astronauts consulting to Grumman Aircraft's Lunar Lander effort in Bethpage.

In the 1970's Dr. Grieco re-entered government service for 14 years with the Veteran's Administration, first as the Asst. Chief of Dental Service at the VA Medical Center in West Roxbury MA, and then serving at the VA Medical Center in Baltimore MD.  During that time he was also an Asst. Clinical Professor at Harvard Dental School and University of Maryland Dental School.  While at West Roxbury he cared for paraplegic and quadriplegic Veterans and became passionate about caring for physically disabled Vets.  He was passionate about Forensic Dentistry also, developing training courses and lectures for State Police Academies in both Massachusetts and Maryland.  He loved to invent and gained a U.S. Patent for a cold sterilization unit during his time with the VA.  Dr. Grieco re-entered government service one more time as a civilian contract dentist in the 1990's, first to provide surge support to the dental service at Pope AFB during DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM and then working at Kenner and Kimbrough Army Hospitals before retiring for good.

He had a lifelong love for boating, and seemed to be most at peace when he was watching the water from the deck of any of the boats he owned over the years.  A talented piano player, his sons would try to coax him back to the piano bench to play "Boogie-Woogie" any chance they could get.  He shared a love of the U.S. Naval Academy with his wife Joan and served as a "Blue and Gold" Officer for many years.  Most of all he enjoyed making people laugh; rarely would he be without a joke to share.  It was one of his most endearing qualities.

He was a loving husband, the father of two, grandfather of five, great-grandfather of one, he is survived by the love of his life, Joan Grieco, his sons Michael (wife Lisa) and Dan (wife Donna), his grandchildren Matthew, Rachel, Benjamin, Maura and Mia; and his great grandchild Gabriel.

Family and friends may visit on Thursday, February 12, 2015 from 2:00pm-4:00pm and 6:00pm-8:00pm at Barranco and Sons, P.A. Severna Park Funeral Home.

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, February 13, 2015 at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis at 9:00am.

Interment will be held in the Maryland Veterans Cemetery (Crownsville) at 11:30 following the funeral mass.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:

Wounded Warrior Project
P.O. Box 758517
Topeka, KS 66675
or
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105