Harry Douglas Greb

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-106225
• Residence: 1921, 248 Frederick St., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1921, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region: Bef 2012, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Harry Douglas Greb (1916-1998)

Harry Douglas Greb was born in Kitchener. For more than thirty years, he guided Greb Industries Limited, the family business founded by his father Erwin Greb in 1912. Greb began his career as a bookkeeper with the company in 1932. His father retired in 1940, and Harry took over active management of the company. He became President of the company in 1954, upon the death of his father. When he sold the company in 1975, it was the largest independent shoe company in Canada.

Greb is credited as the first manufacturer in the Region to give his employees two weeks holiday with pay. He acquired plants in across Canada and in the USA. He developed the Kodiak Boot, was Canadian licensee for Hush Puppies, supplied footwear to the Ontario Provincial Police, farmers in Western Canada, and thousands of pairs of boots for the Canadian and British military.

He was Director of Equitable Life Insurance Company for twenty-six years. He was a lifetime and active member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Kitchener. A man of great energy, Greb served ten years as Chairman of the Board of Waterloo Lutheran University. He was honoured with an LLD degree in 1971. He served as President of the Shoe Manufacturers of Canada, President of the Shoe Information Bureau, and President of the Shoe and Leather Council of Canada. Greb was a member of the Waterloo County Shrine Club, Mocha Temple for fifty-five years; Grand River and Scottish Rite Masonic Lodges for sixty-two years; Kitchener Rotary Club for fifty-five years; and ExOfficer of Sea Cadet Corps RCSCC Warspite - Kitchener. Greb married Dorothy Spain of Galt in 1938. They have one son, Douglas, a daughter Barbara, and nine grandchildren. Greb was an active sailor all his life and skippered five different vessels.

Waterloo Region Hall of Fame https://waterlooregionmuseum.com/region-hall-of-fame/inductees

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GREB, Harry D.

At Lanark Heights, Kitchener, on Wednesday, March 25, 1998, after a lengthy illness, Harry Douglas Greb, formerly of Pilgrim Circle, Waterloo, aged 82 years. Harry Greb was the President of Greb Industries Ltd. until the company was sold in 1975. He served as past President of the Shoe Manufacturers' Association, past President of the Shoe Information Bureau of Canada and former Chairman of the Shoe and Leather Counsel of Canada. He was the only Canadian on the Board of Pensions of the United Lutheran Church of America, Director of Equitable Life, Chairman of the Board of Waterloo University (Wilfred Laurier University), for ten years. He has an Honorary Doctor of Laws from WLU. He became the Executive Officer of the Sea Cadet Corps Warspite. He was an active member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Kitchener. He was a member of the Kitchener Rotary Club. He was a member for 56 years of the Shrine Club, Mocha Temple, a member for 60 years of the Grand River Lodge and a member for 60 years of the Scottish Rite Masons. A sailor all his life. He belonged to the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club, Bronte Harbour Yacht Club and the Great Lakes Cruising Club. Husband to the former Dorothy Spain; father to Douglas and his wife Mary Jane of Waterloo, Barbara and John Sinnott of Oakville; brother to Charles and his wife Fern of Ayr, May of Waterloo; six grandchildren, Margie, Michael, Heather, Shelagh, Matthew and Brian. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by his parents, Erwin Greb and Clara Miller; one grandson, Andrew Douglas McLean and one brother, Arthur and his wife Bernice. Friends may call at the Ratz-Bechtel Funeral Home, 621 King St. W., Kitchener from 7-9 p.m. this evening (Thursday) and 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Friday until noon on Saturday when removal will be made to St. Peter's Lutheran Church where the funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., with Pastor Eric Reble officiating. Entombment will be made in Woodland Mausoleum. Donations to St. Peter's Lutheran TV Ministry or the K-W Rotary Centre may be made as expressions of sympathy.


Published in The Globe and Mail on Mar. 26, 1998

Harry married Dorothy Margaret Spain 1938. Dorothy was born 20 Jan 1918; died 12 Jan 2008, Oakville, Trafalgar Twp., Halton Co., Ontario; was buried , Woodland Cem., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]