Obituary of Dietrich Anton Grev

After celebrating his 100th birthday on December 9th, 2023, Mr. Dietrich Anton "Tony" Theodor Theophil Grev entered the Kingdom of Heaven in the early morning on Sunday, January 7, 2024.

The oldest of 6 children, Tony was born in Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany, to Anton Theodor Theophil Greiveldinger, an Electrical Engineer with Siemens, and his wife Olga. Soon afterwards, his family moved to Perl an der Mosel, in Saarland, Germany.

Tony was drafted into the German Army in the summer of 1942, where he served as a signalman. After completing his lengthy training, Tony arrived in Tunisia to serve on General von Arnim's staff one month before the Axis armies surrendered to the Allies in North Africa, and so Tony spent most of his time in the war as a POW. His journeys in captivity included internment in Great Britain and the US, and he even tried to escape three times. His last escape attempt was in the summer of 1945 from Fort Ord, CA, where he made it a week before he was finally captured again. After the war, Tony worked in the gardens of Maison-Carrée, Algeria, until an illness forced him to return to Germany. He continued to work in Germany and France until immigrating to the US in May 1955.

Tony legally changed his surname to Grev soon after settling in the US for personal reasons. He graduated with high honors and as valedictorian from Northwestern University in 1961 with a degree in Chemistry. In August of that year, he married his first wife Christa (also from Germany) and moved to Parkersburg, West Virginia, where he worked as a chemist for Marbon Chemicals. In September 1963, shortly after the birth of their eldest daughter, the family moved to Columbus, Ohio, where Tony attended Ohio State University to earn his graduate degree in Chemistry. After completing his studies – and welcoming another daughter and son – Tony moved his family to Bridgewater, New Jersey, where he worked as a chemist for American Cyanamid. When a recession in the early 70s hit the chemical industry particularly hard, Tony changed professions and became an agent for Metropolitan Life Insurance in Somerville, New Jersey.

Tony married his second wife Jean Stagg in October 1990 and lived with her in Bogota, New Jersey, until her death in 2005. Afterwards, he moved to Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, to live with his stepson's family.

Tony led an active life until his final days. Even in the months before his 100th birthday, he was known by the residents of his Assisted Living home by how much walking he did. He loved bicycling, ballroom dancing, health & fitness, listening to music, gardening, reading, singing, and whistling. He was a faithful believer in Jesus Christ, and for many years Tony served as a Deacon at the First Presbyterian Church of Hackensack, New Jersey. Tony led a healthy lifestyle and made sure to walk at least 110 minutes every day – after he had to give up bicycling when he was around 90 years old -- which contributed to his long, healthy life. He loved to joke around and had a joyful and infectious laugh. Once Tony's health started to decline, he moved to Annapolis, Maryland, to be near his son's family.

Tony is survived by his daughter Helga Fitzpatrick, her husband, Roy, and her stepdaughter Maya, of Nuernberg, Germany; his daughter Hjordis (Jaye) Joyce and her husband, Jim, of Brick, NJ; his son Ingar, his wife Jean, and their children Vivian, Sarah, and Theodore of Annapolis, MD; and his stepson John Stagg, his wife Kim, and their children Hunter, Quinn, and Mackenzie of Atlanta, GA.

A memorial service will be held at Festa Memorial Funeral Home at 111 Union Blvd, Totowa, NJ 07512 at 11:00 AM on March 11th. Interment will follow immediately at Laurel Grove Cemetery, also in Totowa.