Gregory, as he asked to be called later on, trained in hospital administration but decided his real calling was interior design. He worked with wives of major Hollywood producers, and his fastidious designs and clever ways to stretch a budget resulted in big looks and happy clients.
He liked Open Houses, and we'd sometimes go on walks through the flats of Beverly Hills so he could look at the exteriors at night. He worked hard, helped friends set up their own small businesses, and stayed close with his family. (His mother Grace is still alive). His printing was tiny and I always thought he should have been an architect.
When I had a small house Gregory worked with the contractor to include every fix and decoration it needed. When I moved out, Gregory was my Property Manager and took pride in solving every problem, large or small. He designed rooms where I live now, always a combination of FORM and FUNCTION. His aesthetic was practical but beautiful.
We went to the theater together -- he drove, just like he did in high school. He went to car shows with Vin, because he was always a car aficianado. My mother remembered him fondly; one story he cited was he was cruising past our house on Greer Road, and saw her mowing the lawn in the hot sun. He hopped out of his green Mustang to finish the job for her. Years later he purchased a similar car just for fun.
I wish Gregory could have had a relationship but he had a full circle of friends from hgh school, Stanford University, and people from Los Angeles. He loved entertaining and did so with gusto. One day he made n entire tray of baby potatoes stuffed with sour cream and caviar. In a way, that's a perfect description of who he was: earthy, filling, yet high class, rare, and exquisite. I am devastated to have lost him so young. He left L.A. when he developed health problems, moved up to Washington State to be close to his family, and that's where he passed away. I think of him every time I look at something he did or oversaw at my house, and it's a pang that goes right thorugh my heart. He was always my companion at the high school reunions and his memory was crisp and clear -- he remembered what I forgot. I won't forget him, though.
Thanks Erica, for this beautiful post about Greg. I moved east after Paly and lost touch with many people including Greg. I'm sorry I lost touch with him. He was a dear friend at Paly. I have many nice memories of hanging out with Greg, at my house or other peoples homes. He was warm and kind and down to earth. I will very much miss his presence at our upcoming reunion. I'm grateful to have learned more about his life from your posting, Erica. How lucky to have him as your interior designer. May his memory be for a blessing.
Gregory was my next door neighbor for the entire time I lived on Greer Rd (63 - 71) but I didn't really get to know him (except for the occational conversation over the fence) till Jordan. We shared a mutual friend (Jim Nelson) but that didn't seem to last all that long to my rememberance. I caught back up with Gregory a couple of reunions back as he was one of the few people I recognized. At the time I was feeling somewhat uncomfortable attending the reunion (I really wasn't sure if people would remember me), but Gregory was warm and engaging and made me feel part of the event. I will miss seeing and talking to him at the reunions.
A person is never really gone if you remember them either for their impact in your life, or as a friend. It's obvious that Gregory will be remembered in our hearts and through the occational stories we retell when we get together. Rest well my friend.
Gregory, or Greg as we knew him back 'in the day', was not one of my closest friends. But in the halls, or the gym, he was always incredibly friendly, cogenial, basically a great guy. Fun and friendly to one and all. Always an upbeat person. Greg was a Viking athlete, an artist, just a person who was totally Paly! Like many of our classmates recently, Greg will be missed, but he leaves behind positive memories for all of those who knew him well, or just knew him...I can still see his smile!
I was shocked and saddened to learn of Greg's passing. He was a sweet friend and I enjoyed knowing him at Jordan and Paly. He really liked being happy and he liked making others happy, and I will never forget his great smile and wonderful sense of humor. Greg liked to say "Jubilet" whenever we were walking somewhere together and we'd come upon a post or a person in the halls, anything that would temporarily separate us. To this day, I still say "Jubilet" when that happens when I'm walking with someone, and it's always a moment to remember Greg and his zest for life.
We had the opportunity to visit with Erica and Greg at Greg's home in Los Angeles, and I loved the space he created for himself - totally him - warm, artistic, charming and welcoming. Those who benefitted from his talent in interior design were very lucky. May his memory be eternal.
Gregory was one of my oldest friends. We met when we were 4 years old, prior to beginning kindergarten. Our moms were friends. In elementary school, Greg used to tease me by turning his eyelids inside out and chasing me down the street. He loved to "gross me out".
When I was 8, my family moved to a different neighborhood and I didn't see Greg until junior high school, when we were in many of the same classes. We became closer in high school, when we sang in the Paly Madrigals together, along with our late dear friend, Nancy Jamison. We loved "show business", our costumes and traveling to performances together.
After college, I saw Gregory whenever I flew to Los Angeles to visit Erica Gerard (Di Bona) or my brother, Steve. As adults, our friendship deepened. We both had careers in public health and a shared love of art and theater. More importantly, on our many long walks and talks, we shared more authentically about what it felt like to grow up in white, homogenous, wealthy Palo Alto and to feel different and sometimes alone; to be bi-racial or bi-cultural, to be gay, to live in a single-parent family, to deal with family mental illness, addiction and recovery. We talked about all the struggles many of us had but never talked about in high school.
When my Mom was dying, Greg shared with me that when he was a kid she was the only person in our neighborhood who befriended his African-American mother and how much that had meant to him. Although it was a sweet story about my Mom, it made me sad to think how isolated his family had been.
I loved Greg's honesty, integrity, sharp wit and intelligence. Gregory is survived by his mother, Grace, his brother Jeff and his wife, his sisters Heather and Melanie and many friends. I hope he knew how loved he was and, wherever he is, knows how much we miss him.
Thank you for your beautiful shares about Gregory, everyone! I feel like I know not only Gregory, but you all a little better, and am glad so many people had lasting friendships through so many years.
William Shaw
This is , indeed, sad news. Greg was a good friend at Jordan and Paly. He was one of the student body's shining lights. Rest in peace my friend.
Mary O'Neil (Childress)
So sorry to hear this. Greg and I were pals in elementary school. Van Auken memories. Rest peacefully Greg.
Erica Gerard (Di Bona)
Gregory, as he asked to be called later on, trained in hospital administration but decided his real calling was interior design. He worked with wives of major Hollywood producers, and his fastidious designs and clever ways to stretch a budget resulted in big looks and happy clients.
He liked Open Houses, and we'd sometimes go on walks through the flats of Beverly Hills so he could look at the exteriors at night. He worked hard, helped friends set up their own small businesses, and stayed close with his family. (His mother Grace is still alive). His printing was tiny and I always thought he should have been an architect.
When I had a small house Gregory worked with the contractor to include every fix and decoration it needed. When I moved out, Gregory was my Property Manager and took pride in solving every problem, large or small. He designed rooms where I live now, always a combination of FORM and FUNCTION. His aesthetic was practical but beautiful.
We went to the theater together -- he drove, just like he did in high school. He went to car shows with Vin, because he was always a car aficianado. My mother remembered him fondly; one story he cited was he was cruising past our house on Greer Road, and saw her mowing the lawn in the hot sun. He hopped out of his green Mustang to finish the job for her. Years later he purchased a similar car just for fun.
I wish Gregory could have had a relationship but he had a full circle of friends from hgh school, Stanford University, and people from Los Angeles. He loved entertaining and did so with gusto. One day he made n entire tray of baby potatoes stuffed with sour cream and caviar. In a way, that's a perfect description of who he was: earthy, filling, yet high class, rare, and exquisite. I am devastated to have lost him so young. He left L.A. when he developed health problems, moved up to Washington State to be close to his family, and that's where he passed away. I think of him every time I look at something he did or oversaw at my house, and it's a pang that goes right thorugh my heart. He was always my companion at the high school reunions and his memory was crisp and clear -- he remembered what I forgot. I won't forget him, though.
Linda Kramer
Thanks Erica, for this beautiful post about Greg. I moved east after Paly and lost touch with many people including Greg. I'm sorry I lost touch with him. He was a dear friend at Paly. I have many nice memories of hanging out with Greg, at my house or other peoples homes. He was warm and kind and down to earth. I will very much miss his presence at our upcoming reunion. I'm grateful to have learned more about his life from your posting, Erica. How lucky to have him as your interior designer. May his memory be for a blessing.
Drew Courtney
Gregory was my next door neighbor for the entire time I lived on Greer Rd (63 - 71) but I didn't really get to know him (except for the occational conversation over the fence) till Jordan. We shared a mutual friend (Jim Nelson) but that didn't seem to last all that long to my rememberance. I caught back up with Gregory a couple of reunions back as he was one of the few people I recognized. At the time I was feeling somewhat uncomfortable attending the reunion (I really wasn't sure if people would remember me), but Gregory was warm and engaging and made me feel part of the event. I will miss seeing and talking to him at the reunions.
A person is never really gone if you remember them either for their impact in your life, or as a friend. It's obvious that Gregory will be remembered in our hearts and through the occational stories we retell when we get together. Rest well my friend.
Steve Lenox
Gregory, or Greg as we knew him back 'in the day', was not one of my closest friends. But in the halls, or the gym, he was always incredibly friendly, cogenial, basically a great guy. Fun and friendly to one and all. Always an upbeat person. Greg was a Viking athlete, an artist, just a person who was totally Paly! Like many of our classmates recently, Greg will be missed, but he leaves behind positive memories for all of those who knew him well, or just knew him...I can still see his smile!
Sue Mathrusse (Tseng)
I was shocked and saddened to learn of Greg's passing. He was a sweet friend and I enjoyed knowing him at Jordan and Paly. He really liked being happy and he liked making others happy, and I will never forget his great smile and wonderful sense of humor. Greg liked to say "Jubilet" whenever we were walking somewhere together and we'd come upon a post or a person in the halls, anything that would temporarily separate us. To this day, I still say "Jubilet" when that happens when I'm walking with someone, and it's always a moment to remember Greg and his zest for life.
We had the opportunity to visit with Erica and Greg at Greg's home in Los Angeles, and I loved the space he created for himself - totally him - warm, artistic, charming and welcoming. Those who benefitted from his talent in interior design were very lucky. May his memory be eternal.
Suzanne Brennan (Nathan)
Gregory was one of my oldest friends. We met when we were 4 years old, prior to beginning kindergarten. Our moms were friends. In elementary school, Greg used to tease me by turning his eyelids inside out and chasing me down the street. He loved to "gross me out".
When I was 8, my family moved to a different neighborhood and I didn't see Greg until junior high school, when we were in many of the same classes. We became closer in high school, when we sang in the Paly Madrigals together, along with our late dear friend, Nancy Jamison. We loved "show business", our costumes and traveling to performances together.
After college, I saw Gregory whenever I flew to Los Angeles to visit Erica Gerard (Di Bona) or my brother, Steve. As adults, our friendship deepened. We both had careers in public health and a shared love of art and theater. More importantly, on our many long walks and talks, we shared more authentically about what it felt like to grow up in white, homogenous, wealthy Palo Alto and to feel different and sometimes alone; to be bi-racial or bi-cultural, to be gay, to live in a single-parent family, to deal with family mental illness, addiction and recovery. We talked about all the struggles many of us had but never talked about in high school.
When my Mom was dying, Greg shared with me that when he was a kid she was the only person in our neighborhood who befriended his African-American mother and how much that had meant to him. Although it was a sweet story about my Mom, it made me sad to think how isolated his family had been.
I loved Greg's honesty, integrity, sharp wit and intelligence. Gregory is survived by his mother, Grace, his brother Jeff and his wife, his sisters Heather and Melanie and many friends. I hope he knew how loved he was and, wherever he is, knows how much we miss him.
Anita Lusebrink
Thank you for your beautiful shares about Gregory, everyone! I feel like I know not only Gregory, but you all a little better, and am glad so many people had lasting friendships through so many years.