Charles "Chuck" Greb

1929 - 2009  (80 years)

• Name	Charles "Chuck" Greb
  Born	2 Sep 1929	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Residence	2008	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  Died	18 Nov 2009	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region	Bef 2012	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Name	Chuck Greb
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-49063
  Buried	Williamsburg Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Person ID	I49063	Generations
  Last Modified	28 Jan 2025

  
  

  Father	Erwin Charles Greb,   b. 25 Jan 1894, Zurich, Hay Twp., Huron Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 18 May 1954  (Age 60 years)
  Mother	Clara Mina Mueller,   b. 18 Jan 1894, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 21 Mar 1976  (Age 82 years)
  Family ID	F14644	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Fern McEwing
  Last Modified	29 Jan 2025
  Family ID	F48737	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Charles (Chuck) Greb Original from the Waterloo Region Record Newspaper 2009

  
  

• Notes

  Charles Greb September 2, 1929 \endash November 18, 2009 Following a courageous three year battle with cancer, Charles (Chuck) Greb passed away at home in Waterloo on November 18th surrounded by family. Predeceased by his parents, Clara (Miller) and Erwin Greb; his brothers Harry and Art and sister May. He will be sadly missed by his wife of 19 years Fern (McEwing); sons Ross (Shelley); John (Nellie); Paul (Heidi); step daughters Lori McDougall (René); Janice McDougall (Tony); his 13 grandchildren; mother-in-law Ruth McEwing as well as many nieces and nephews. Chuck was truly one of a kind, having the ability to balance a busy family life while making a significant contribution to the business community and setting a personal example for service to the community that would be difficult to match. He often credited his success to the YMCA. As a teenager, involvement with the Y Clubs provided him with the opportunity to develop a strong sense of community, leadership and family. His core values were well aligned with the YMCA in that each individual, regardless of race, color, creed or financial ability, has the right to develop to his or her full potential. Chuck started his business career with Greb Shoes Limited, a family company that grew into Canada's largest shoe manufacturing company when it was sold in 1976. Starting as a factory worker in 1948, he then managed the plants in Kitchener (1955) and Winnipeg (1959). He became Director of Sales (1962) and Executive Vice President (1969 \endash 1976). In 2008, Chuck co-authored a book entitled "The Greb Story" in order to permanently record the history of the family business. After his busy life at Greb Industries, he became CEO of Musitron Communications which under his presidency became part of Grebco Holdings. He was also a Director and Chairman of Skyjack Inc.; Director and Chairman of Virtek Vision and Managing Partner of Woodside Fund, a California Venture Capital Partnership. He was a life member and Chairman of the National Council of YMCAs of Canada; a Director for 60 years and Honorary President of the K-W YMCA; member of the K-W YMCA Council of Advisors; Chairman of the K-W YMCA Endowment Foundation; Honorary Life Member of the K-W Hospital Foundation; Past President of the Kitchener Chamber of Commerce; honorary life member of the Greater Kitchener - Waterloo Chamber of Commerce; Past President of K-W Oktoberfest; Past Chairman of CAA Mid-Western Ontario; Past President of Junior Achievement of Waterloo Region; Past Chairman of Junior Achievement of Canada; member of the Board of Governors of Junior Achievement of Waterloo Region; a founding member of Leadership Waterloo; Past Chairman of the Kitchener Economic Development Board and member of the Kitchener - Conestoga Rotary Club. Throughout his life, Chuck received many awards including Kitchener Citizen of the Year; Province of Ontario Bicentennial Medal; Ontario Volunteer Service gold award; Canada 125th Anniversary medal for contributions to Canada; Companion of the Fellowship of Honour YMCA Canada; Lou Buckley Award \endash Kitchener Waterloo YMCA; and Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International for work with youth. He was inducted into the Waterloo County Hall of Fame in 2000 and inducted into the Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in 2008. Although business success and service to the community were important to Chuck, his family was what really mattered. He was a father to be proud of; a great role model, mentor and friend for son's Ross, John and Paul. Precious time spent together at the farm and at the cottage on Lake Panache will never be forgotten. In his leisure time, Chuck spent time at the cottage and winters on Longboat Key Florida with his wife Fern. He enjoyed good food and wine and was Past President of the local International Wine and Food Society Club. He was also a member of Westmount Golf and Country Club. Friends are invited to share their memories of Chuck during the visitation at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street S, Waterloo, on Sunday November 22nd from 2:00 \endash 4:00 and 7:00 \endash 9:00. The funeral service will be held at Mount Zion Lutheran Church, 29 Westmount Road S, Waterloo on Monday November 23rd at 11:00 with Pastor Douglas Reble and Pastor Tanya Ramer officiating. A reception will follow the service in the church hall. Interment at Williamsburg Cemetery. Condolences for the family or donations in Chuck's memory to the Kitchener Waterloo YMCA Endowment Foundation Camp Fund or the Junior Achievement of Waterloo Region Foundation would be appreciated and can be arranged through the funeral home, www.erbgood.com or 519.745.8445. The family wishes to thank the staff of the Grand River Cancer Centre, CCAC and Team 7 Care Partners for their care and dedication. In living memory of Chuck, a donation to the Trees for Learning Program will be made by the funeral home.

  
  

• Sources

  [S390] News - ON, York, Toronto - Globe and Mail, 26 Nov 2009 - Biography of Charles Greb. [S3231] Find A Grave, Cemetery, W., America, N., Municipality, W., & Cemetery, W. (1929). Charles “Chuck” Greb (1929-2009) - Find A Grave... Retrieved 14 May 2020, from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51493942/charles-greb. [S490] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - The Record (1994-March 2008), obituary of Dorothy Margaret Greb - 14 Jan 2008. [S220] Waterloo Region Hall of Fame Waterloo Region Hall of Fame.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 2 Sep 1929 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 2008 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 18 Nov 2009 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region - Bef 2012 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Williamsburg Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth