Margaret K. Grieco

Margaret [Marge] Grieco completed her journey on earth on September 3, 2022, in her 99th year. She was born in Chicago, IL on March 28,1923, to George Straub and Katherine Gerhart. Her older brothers, George and Joseph, predeceased her. Marge met her future husband, Frank, while attending Hirsch High School in Chicago. They married in 1943 and began their first travel adventure to Cornell University where Frank completed Officers’ Training School and Marge began honing the cooking and hospitality skills learned in her mother’s kitchen. Fellow students would stop by hoping to share Hungarian or Italian dinners. All were welcome. After Frank returned from WWII, they became a family of three when Antoinette [Toni] was born in Chicago. They followed Frank’s business promotions to Toledo, OH where Marge’s outgoing personality endeared her to the neighboring farm family who taught her to grow vegetables on her own plot, then to London, Ontario and Wayne, NJ. During a visit to Marge’s Aunt Theresa and Uncle Joe Straub in Sarasota [Kensington Park], they decided to buy a home in their development. Tragically, Frank died unexpectedly, at age 49. Marge focused on family and happiness. Her only grandchild, Meaghan, was born. There was an immediate bond between them. Most of Meaghan’s ‘firsts’- solid food feeding, steps, words, teeth – all featured her ‘Gram’. Soon, her next ‘first’ would be a plane ride to Florida. It took all of Marge’s abundant courage to move alone to Sarasota in 1972. Once here, she thrived. She loved the beaches, fishing and grouper sandwiches! Relatives visited from Canada in the winter, and she reconnected with another part of her family tree. To increase her circle of friends and ‘dress up’, she began working in Customer Service at the First National Bank of Sarasota, where she met her companion of 25 years, Norman Morris, a broker at Pru-Bache. They moved to Forest Lakes Village and 22 years later, to Lakehouse West. Their time together was about travel, friends, boating and visiting ‘the family’. After Norm’s death, Marge continued to be active and social. She played indoor shuffleboard and bingo, but her favorite sport was shopping which she did often after her daughter, Toni and son-in-law, Michael [McLaughlin] retired to Sarasota. This brought her beloved granddaughter and her wonderful granddaughter-in-law, Katye [Kalivoda] into her life for more extended visits.

Eighteen years passed swiftly at Lakehouse West. Her final years there were enhanced by her caregivers, Miruna and Miryan. The staff in her home at Brookdale-Palmer Ranch were wonderful- caring, patient, responsive. The nurses from Tidewell Hospice helped bring her peace in her final days.

Marge’s small loving family, Toni, Michael, Meaghan and Katye, sent her to God with stories from the past, much handholding and kisses. A Memorial Service will be held on October 18th at 10 AM at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic church, 425 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Tidewell Hospice or to any charity of your choice.

Arrangements have been in the care of Robert Toale & Sons at Palms Memorial Park. To send online condolences to her family, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com.