Gregory W. Pichel

Gregory William Pichel, 98, of Cocoa Beach, passed away Thursday, July 6, 2017. Gregory, who was known to all as “Greg,” was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on June 3, 1919, son of Joaquin and Kunda (Eckert) Pichel. Greg became active in sports during high school, and was elected captain of the Union Hill High School gymnastics team. After high school, Greg attended the Newark College of Engineering where he received a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1942. After graduation, Greg volunteered to join the Navy and was appointed Ensign in April 1942. During World War II, Greg served as an engineer specializing in the degaussing of ships (to prevent magnetic triggering of mines) first in Boston, then North Africa, Sicily, and finally in the Great Lakes where degaussing systems were installed in new ships and then calibrated.

It was on this last assignment that he met Margaret Heuer. Greg and his “Margie” were married on August 22, 1945. As a married couple, they lived in Long Beach, California, Cliffside, New Jersey, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin before moving to Florida in 1957. As a civilian, Greg worked for Square D Corporation, for Milwaukee County, and for the AC Spark Plug Division of General Motors (which became AC Electronics and then Delco Electronics). He had always loved Florida and eagerly volunteered to be transferred there to work in a newly established office of AC Electronics to test and install guidance systems in ballistic missiles at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (first in the Thor and then the Titan missile programs).

Greg and Margie purchased a house in Cocoa Beach in 1958 in which they lived happily until they died. Greg and Margie were charter members of Christ Lutheran Church of Cape Canaveral where Greg was instrumental in the church building program and helped Margie place thousands of Bibles in local motels. Greg was always an avid boater and fisherman, building his first boat in Milwaukee in the basement of his apartment building. In Florida, the whole family enjoyed fishing, water skiing, snorkeling, and scuba diving in the ocean off Port Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet. In his 50s, Greg became interested in surfing and sailboarding. He built his own surfboards and won many awards in Senior and Masters divisions of surf contests in Central Florida and in the East Coast Surfing Association championship meets at Cape Hatteras. He also joined Margie in her lifelong love of tennis. In his 70s, Greg took up snow skiing and then snowboarding, mainly in Breckenridge, Colorado, where he and Margie would spend two to three weeks every winter. Greg pursued all these sport interests into his 80s, and his love of sports and physical fitness has been an inspiration to his family and friends. Greg lost his beloved Margie in 2014, after caring for her full time for about 4 years.

Greg is survived by his three children: William (Julene) Pichel, Susan (Charles) Williams; and John (Martha) Pichel; five grandchildren: Deborah Williams, Jennifer Williams, Ronald (Kelley) Pichel, Marissa Pichel, and Thomas (Alison) Pichel; five great grandchildren: Gavin Staley, Nathan Pichel, Benjamin Pichel, Ruby Pichel, and Simon Pichel; brother-in-law Ashton Hough; and several nieces and nephews. Greg was predeceased by his wife, his parents, and his sister Gloria (John) Moscini.

A visitation and funeral service will be held at the Life Event Center at Florida Memorial Gardens, Rockledge on Monday July 10, 2017, beginning at 3:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to Christ Lutheran Church, Cape Canaveral, or to the Florida Surf Museum, Cocoa Beach.