Elizabeth "Liz" Rist Greenberg

Surrounded by her loving family and husband, Elizabeth “Liz” Greenberg peacefully passed to her eternal reward on January 24, 2026, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Liz is survived by her husband of 50 years (Dr. Stanley R. Greenberg), three children and their spouses (Lisa and Andrew Hiles, Steve and Heidi Lepley, Jonathan and Sonya Lepley), five grandchildren and spouses (Ben and Ansley Hiles, Joey and Isabel Hiles, Marianna Hiles and fiancé Luke Federer, Heather Lepley and Hayden Lepley) and four young great-grandchildren (Audrey, Magdalena “Lena,” Robbie and Jane, who loved their “Gigi”). Liz was predeceased by her mother, Marianna Rist, father, Peter Rist and brother, Frank Rist.

In 2024, Liz and Stan relocated to the Atlanta area to be closer to family. They moved into Celebration Village, Forsyth where they made new friends, and Liz found a wonderful faith community for weekly Rosary and Mass. Prior to Celebration Village they lived in the Mount Vintage community in North Augusta, SC for 19 years where she attended St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception parish, and prior to this lived in Garrett, IN, just outside Fort Wayne, IN attending St. Joseph’s parish.

Liz lived an incredibly full life. Born into the turmoil of WWII in what is now Srpski Miletic, Serbia (then a German-speaking village in Yugoslavia), with her father killed in the war, at age 5 Liz’s family escaped Stalin’s Iron Curtain, fleeing as refugees across Europe. This ultimately led them to Austria and eight years in a displaced persons camp.

At age 13, Liz’s family was sponsored by a group in the U.S. seeking workers (with additional help from Catholic Charities) and speaking not a word of English, emigrated to America. Bottled-up in the lower decks of the H.S. Truman, the ship eventually landed at Ellis Island, NY in 1953. After a period of family separation, they were reunited in the town of Garrett, IN. Liz’s mom (Marianna) worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital and at the home of Franciscan nuns, where many of the nuns spoke German. Liz’s grandfather (Jakob Schnepf) worked at The Sacred Heart Nursing Home as gardener and caretaker. Through all these transitions, Liz remained very close to other family members who emigrated to America, all spread across the country, including the Hinterhauser’s, Schnepf’s, Holzschuh’s and Sciarini’s.

Liz’s warmth was evident to all, and she proved to be a fast learner. She mastered English and graduated from Garrett High School with numerous honors, including prom queen (and Yearbook Editor, a tradition she shared with her daughter, Lisa and granddaughter, Marianna). Liz became an American citizen and earned a nursing degree at Saint Francis College in Fort Wayne, which was the perfect profession for such a compassionate person. Liz worked in different clinical settings as a nurse for over 40 years. True to her loving nature, Liz remained close with many of her high school and nursing school friends.

Liz was a faithful Catholic, regularly attending Mass and living her faith in many ways, like making sandwiches for Atlanta’s homeless or traveling with Lisa to volunteer at the Missionaries of the Poor in Jamaica. Right up to the last hours of her life she was praying the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet.

Liz was a competitive tennis player and enjoyed pickleball and golf. Tennis was the family sport and allowed her to spend quality time with Stan, her children, grandkids and best friends. Hilton Head was a favorite destination, where she had many wonderful family vacations. She enjoyed many trips around the globe during her 50-year marriage with Stan.

We thank all of those who shared love and support in Liz’s final weeks. Your outpouring of kindness has lifted up our heavy hearts. Liz was a special person who touched so many.

We ask in lieu of flowers please make any donation to Liz’s favorite charity, The Sandwich Project (https://www.thesandwichproject.org Tax ID: 87-0939484).

A memorial mass will be held on Monday, March 16th at St. Jude Catholic Church, 7171 Glenridge Dr, Sandy Springs, GA. Rosary will be prayed at 9:30 a.m., and the Mass will begin at 10:00 a.m. A reception will be held immediately following services in the Parish Hall. All are welcome. For those who wish to participate in the service but cannot travel to the venue, a livestream will be available via a link on the St Jude the Apostle website on the day of the service (https://judeatl.com).