April 23, 1937 – July 22, 2023
Phillip C. Grede, age 86, passed away Sunday, July 23, 2023, peacefully at home with his beloved Shih Tzu, Katie, and family by his side. Phil was born on April 23, 1937, on the south side of Chicago, in the Roseland neighborhood. Phil was very recently preceded in death by his loving wife of 27 years Paula Grede (nee Dowling). Phil is survived by his children Phillip (Pamela) Grede Jr, and Kelly (Timothy) Donohoe, and stepchildren Jennifer (Dennis) Oakes and Jeffrey (Sharon) Eichensehr. Also survived by his 15 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren and brother George (Carol) Grede. Phil was also preceded in death by his parents Philip and Mildred Grede, brother Robert Grede, and great-granddaughter Alaina Grede.
Phil retired from Acme Steel after 42 years of service and was a Veteran of the United States Army where he served as a Corporal in Germany in the early 1960s. After the Army he attended barber school. Phil was an amateur ventriloquist with his dummy Woody. He was an avid fan of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bears and often did not see eye to eye with his wife regarding sports, who was a Yankee and Packers fan. He loved to travel and dote on his wife, watching Westerns and Rocky movies, and he enjoyed all the time spent with the family.
Visitation Friday, July 28, 2023, from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. with a funeral service to be held at 7:00 p.m. at Smits Funeral Home, 2121 Pleasant Springs Lane (Rt.30/Pleasant Springs Ln.), Dyer, IN. Interment Fairmount Willow Hills Memorial Park – Willow Springs, IL.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation (https://www.parkinson.org/).
