Gregory Alan Koenig

Gregory Alan Koenig March 8, 1946—October 31, 2015 Greg was born on March 8, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois. He lived with his family in Chicago until elementary school when his parents moved to South Miami, Florida. He was truly a Floridian boy, never wishing to live in another state! He left this world to go to the Lord at the age of 69 on October 31, 2015, in Tampa, Florida. Greg’s parents were Theodore Alfred Koenig and Bernice Eileen Sharum Koenig. He had one brother, Theodore Alfred Koenig, Jr. (Ted was two years younger and passed away in 1992.) Greg married Dianne Marie Rohnke Koenig in 1968; they were married nearly 47 years. Together they have two sons, Clifford Gavin Koenig and Darin Bradley Koenig. Darin and his wife Elizabeth presented Greg with a grandson, Austen Rhys, in 2014. Greg attended high school and graduated from Coral Gables High School. He went on to graduate with a BA from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, and then lived in Berkeley, California, where he worked as a draftsman for a medical instruments company and started graduate classes. Greg served in the army for just less than two years thanks to the winding down of the Vietnam War. He spent the entire time stateside, mostly at Ft. Leonard Wood (fondly called “Fort Lost in the Woods”). A major form of entertainment there was the flying club, and he attained his private pilot’s license. After discharge he moved to Tampa and earned his MBA at the University of South Florida in Tampa. At the same time he joined the USF flying club and earned his instrument rating. He always enjoyed small aircraft and aircraft history. Greg worked for Little General stores, then as a purchasing agent for Briggs and Celotex, both Jim Walters companies. He spent most of his working life as an agent for the Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (VALIC), ending as a Senior Financial Advisor. He loved his job and took pleasure in helping his clients prepare for retirement. Greg and Dianne built their home in Lutz, doing all the subcontracting themselves. Greg was a very “hands on” person and literally did a lot of work on the house himself. He was always looking for a better way and better price. That was a characteristic of how he approached many activities. Greg loved to sing. He was a member of the Valparaiso University Chapel Choir the four years he was at the university. While there he also performed as the lead in one of the university’s musical productions. He continued this interest after he joined Our Redeemer Lutheran Church which later became Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Temple Terrace. He joined the parish choir even before he became an “official” member of the church and remained in the choir until his death. He participated in several musical productions at the church. He was also active in several positions at the church—as a member or chairperson of several ministry teams and as president of the council. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be given to the music program at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church or to the American Heart Association.