William Greif Obituary

Born on February 2, 1926, William "Bill" George Greif died peacefully surrounded by his family at age 99 on August 14, 2025. He leaves behind his loving wife Cathy Groody Greif and his nine children, 29 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. He was the oldest surviving son of his parents, Bernard and Verneida (Trible) Greif.
Growing up in Evansville, Indiana, Bill developed a great love for his Catholic faith, his family, his country and eventually his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, from which he earned his J.D. degree in 1951. As a depression era child, Bill learned the value of hard work, friendship, and self-sacrifice. He knew what mattered in life, when to pursue his ambitions, when to offer advice, and when to set everything aside for his loved ones.
In 1943, Bill enlisted in the Army at age 17 and served with honor in the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944) and subsequently the occupation forces in Lofer, Austria where he befriended a war-stricken family, forging a bond between the families that endures to this day.
After returning home to continue his education (and attending Georgetown and Marquette Universities) Bill married his hometown sweetheart, Cornelia (Connie) Alice Kreuzberger in 1949, and together they moved to South Bend, IN where Bill earned a law degree from the University of Notre Dame under the G.I. Bill. While there, they resided in "Vetville," and befriended the young priest and chaplain, Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, the future president of Notre Dame and civil rights leader. During his years of law school and clerking for Federal Judge Luther Schweigert, Bill and Connie welcomed three daughters in quick succession. Six more children (four sons and two daughters) would soon follow. He demonstrated the same level of energy and dedication to his children as he did to his professional life, leading the way as coach, mentor and cheerleader for their academic and athletic pursuits.
From 1958 to 1960, Bill served in the Indiana House of Representatives with distinction. By his mid-thirties, Bill was appointed the executive director of "Evansville Future," and directed the development of Evansville's downtown. He was manager of Public Affairs for Mead Johnson Company before moving to Washington, DC to become head of government relations for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. He achieved the level of executive vice president and eagerly took on other responsibilities such as chairing the Business Round Table Antitrust Task Force. After retiring from Bristol-Myers Squibb in 1990, he joined the law firm Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld.
Bill was an active member of Congressional Country Club, Burning Tree Club, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Potomac, Maryland and Sacred Heart Parish, Notre Dame, Indiana.
After devoting much of his time to the care of his wife, Connie, who succumbed to Alzheimer's Disease in 2013, Bill redirected his energies to his beloved Notre Dame, serving on the Snite Museum of Art and Notre Dame Law School Advisory Councils.
In 2018 at 92 years of age, Bill married the second great love of his life, Catherine (Cathy) Groody Greif, and inherited another large, vibrant family. Together they shared a passion for sports, family, country and of course, all things Notre Dame! He could often be seen riding his golf cart across campus accompanied by Cathy and Bud, his last of six beloved golden retrievers. As time inevitably took its toll, Cathy emerged as Bill's primary caregiver and lovingly and steadfastly remained by his side for their seven years of marriage.
Bill is survived by his wife, Cathy, and his nine children and their spouses: Mary Kay Frech (Jim), of Bethesda, MD, Barbara Petrarca (Carmine) of Naples, FL, Ann Howe (Randall) of Conway, MA, William Lawrence Greif (Cindy) of San Antonio, TX, Daniel Greif (Bonny) of Bangkok, Thailand & Evansville, IN, Claire Keith (Robert) of San Diego, CA, Douglas Greif (Anne) of Neenah, WI, Paul Greif (Paula) of Kiawah Island, SC, and Meg Newell (William) of Newtown, PA. He leaves behind his two sisters and their husbands, Mary Hayes (Robert) of Ponta Vedra, FL and Jane Hayden (Gary) of Evansville, IN, and his sister-in-law, Joan Jennings Greif of Evansville, IN. Bill is predeceased by his wife, Connie, who died in 2013, his parents, his two brothers, L. Charles Greif, DDS and Richard Greif, and his grandson, George Howe.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Wednesday, September 17 at 3:30 p.m. Interment will take place immediately after Mass at Cedar Grove Cemetery. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Potomac, MD at a date to be determined in November. Online condolences may be made at https://www.kaniewski.com/obituary/WilliamG-Greif
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Congregation of Holy Cross at https://donate.holycrossusa.org/ (P.O. Box 1064, Notre Dame, IN 46556) or to a charity of your choice.
Kaniewski Funeral Home, South Bend, Indiana is in charge of arrangements.