On March 24, we lost a patient caring man who touched the lives of so many in a full life of 101 years. He joins his loving wife of 72 years. He always said “the first 100 years are the hardest.” He survived the Great Depression and World War II in the South Pacific. He was the oldest and last surviving member of a family of 5 brothers and one sister. He was a second father to several young adults who found in him a model of honesty, generosity, humor and goodwill today a source of inspiration in their adult lives. He possessed a spirit of equanimity and was a loving and patient father and husband. He was committed to self reliance, curiosity, moderation and exercise. He was always willing to go the “extra mile” to encourage and support those who expressed a need. He believed that if you try to make your life count the world will be a better place because you tried.
William Leonard Grisaitis, of Casselberry was born in Cleveland Ohio on 30 Oct 1916 but left when he was four years old and grew up in Wilkes Barre, Pa. He graduated from Laurel Run HS and worked a few years in Scranton as a weaver for Nanny Silk Co. He Joined the 109th Field Artillery at 25 and
transferred into the Army Air Corps to fly on B24s in the South Pacific during WW II. Abut a year later, while on his first combat mission over Wake Island, his bomber was hit by antiaircraft fire and was almost shot down on Christmas Day. Only 8 of the 38 planes in his combat group made it home after the war but he always remembered his lost comrades and felt very lucky to have survived WWII. He published his diary and their story in a booklet “The First Hundred Years: A Hero’s Journey”.
He meet and married the love of his life, Adelaide, after proposing on their second date after the War.
After a 26 year career in the Air Force he retired at McCoy AFB. He subsequently worked for the Orange
County Tax office. For recreation he loved playing bridge only on days that ended in “Y”. He became a National Life Master and ran the bridge games at the Casselberry Senior Citizens Center. He was a member of St Augustine Catholic Church and the Casselberry German American Club. After retirement, he was an incredible and loving grandfather for Jennifer and William. Jennifer Sbicca MD is a Dermatologist in Ft. Collins, CO, where she lives with her husband, Dr. Joshua Sbicca, an assistant professor of Sociology at Colorado State University. Both attained their doctorates at the University of Florida. He was able to hold in his hands his great grandson, Enzo Bolt Sbicca, now 6 months old. William is back in Central Florida after graduating from Duke University with a degree in Physics and Economics and works as a software engineer.
He is survived by his son William J. Grisaitis MD, a Dermatologist in Maitland, Fl who is proud to have had such a wonderful father and friend. He instilled in him a strong sense of the equality and goodness of all people and has been a role model on how to treat all you meet in life with care
and honesty. His daughter in law, Anne K. Claiborne MD, a Radiologist specializing in Women's Imaging, loved Bill as a second father. His loving spirit will continue on in the values that he instilled by his example to family, friends and everyday contacts. Funeral services will be held at Annunciation Catholic Church on Monday, April 16 at 9:30 am (1020 Montgomery Rd, Longwood) with Fr Stephen Parkes celebrating the Funeral Mass. Internment will follow at All Faiths Memorial Park.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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