George Gray Greenway Jr.

Father Greenway was predeceased by his beloved wife, Carolyn (Yetten,) who passed away July 5, 1992. Survivors include his daughter, Elizabeth A. Luebbers, and her husband, Phillip, of Parker, CO; his daughter, Margaret E. Cole, and her husband, Jim, of Slingerlands, NY; and his son, Christopher G. Greenway and his wife, Maureen (Brown,) of Port Ewen, NY. Surviving grandchildren include Justin Luebbers; Sarah (Luebbers) O’Neil, and her husband, John; Megan (Cole) Zgraggen, and her husband, Kyle; Jon Greenway; Courtney Greenway; and four great-grandchildren.

Born Nov. 11, 1926 in Waltham, MA, the first son and only surviving child of parents George Gray Greenway Sr. and Edith (Johnson), Father Greenway was called to the service of the Lord early in life, serving at the Altar beginning in elementary school. He attended Waltham Public Schools and entered the Army shortly after graduating from high school to serve during World War II. After completing basic training at Georgia’s Camp Gordon, he was stationed in the Philippines.

Following his honorable discharge, Father Greenway attended Canterbury College in Danville, IN, majoring in history and English. He served as student body president and was elected to “Who’s Who Among College Students,” receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1951. He attended Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin for three years, working for the diocese of Eau Claire during the summer months; he graduated in 1954 and was ordained as an Episcopal priest on June 24, 1954. While attending Nashotah House, he established a strong friendship with Carolyn Yetten, who at one time had attended his mother’s Sunday School class in Waltham. The adoring couple married Feb. 19, 1955 at Christ Church Cathedral in Eau Claire.

Father Greenway first served as a priest for Trinity Church, River Falls, WS, and two other small congregations. He and his family relocated to Mohawk, NY, to be closer to Massachusetts when he leaned that his parents were ill; there he served as rector of Grace Church. He started a new congregation in the Albany, NY area, overseeing construction of a new church and building up the congregation from seven to more than 200 people; he also served as director of a national youth conference at Bard College in Annandale, NY that was attended by some 250 young people.

In 1966, he became rector of Grace Church, in Lee’s Summit, MO, for three years; and then became rector of Saint John’s Parish in Springfield, MO, where he stayed until accepting a position as director of planned giving at Western New England College in Springfield, MA; he also served as administrator at Saint Mary’s Church in Thorndike, MA.

Father Greenway became a Roman Catholic priest under the Pastoral Provision of 1980, which allowed married Episcopal priests to become Catholic priests. He was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield, MA on Nov. 21, 1987 and served as administrator and priest for St. Mary’s Parish in Hampden, MA; St. John the Evangelist in Agawam, MA; and Saint Joseph Parish in Springfield, MA, until retiring in 1997.

Following his retirement, Father Greenway relocated to St. Simons Island to enjoy the milder southern winters and to indulge his lifelong fascination with history in general and Civil War history in particular. Religion, however, remained both his passion and his hobby, and he continued to write and perform weekly services at Marsh's Edge Retirement Community, St. Simons Island, GA.

At Father Greenway’s request, no viewing was held. A memorial service was held July 26, 2018 at St. William Catholic Church, St. Simons Island. Interment will be at Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham, MA.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Simons Land Trust, St.Simons Island GA or St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Brunswick, in Father Greenway’s name.