obituaries

Jill Ree Grickis

Jill Ree Grickis

WOODBURY — Jill Ree Grickis, age 78, of 31 Woodbury Hill, Woodbury, passed away peacefully at Waterbury Hospital on March 5, 2025, after a brief illness.

Jill was born on Dec. 20, 1946, in New Jersey to Helen Blalock Grickis and William V. Grickis, Sr., who predeceased her. She is survived by her brother, William V. Grickis, Jr., and his wife, Ellen Denisevich Grickis of Bethlehem, and her nieces Carter Eve Grickis of Santa Monica, California, and Grayson Lillie Grickis of Jupiter, Florida.

Jill grew up in Cheshire, Connecticut graduating from Cheshire High School in 1964. She then graduated from Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in French. In 1969, she earned a Master’s in teaching in French from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Thereafter, Jill taught French briefly at a middle school in Warwick, Rhode Island. She relocated to Connecticut in the late 1970s to begin work as a customer service representative, a position which she held with distinction until taking a disability retirement in 1998.

Jill lived at her Woodbury Hill condominium for many happy years with her companion, Jim Young, formerly of Cheshire, now deceased. They delighted in spending time with Jill’s nieces, enjoying the silken voice of Johnny Mathis, musicals such as Chicago and Phantom, and enjoying the bountiful offerings of local restaurants. Jill had a great sense of humor and relished time spent with her nieces and gracefully suffered the many tricks they played on her.

Jill devoted much of her life to supporting various charities dedicated to helping impoverished people and orphaned animals. She was also a passionate member of the Gettysburg chapter of the Chi Omega sorority and a virtual communicant of Prince of Peace Roman Catholic Church, Woodbury. In lieu of flowers donations in Jill’s memory may be offered to the ASPCA.

There are no calling hours. A funeral Mass will be celebrated for Jill on March 26, 2025, at 11 a.m. at the Church of the Nativity, 48 East Street, Bethlehem, CT, followed by interment at New North Cemetery, Woodbury, CT. There will be a celebration of life at the Painted Pony restaurant in Bethlehem after interment.

Munson Lovetere Funeral Home assisted with the arrangements.

To leave an online condolence please visit www.munsonloveterefuneralhome.com

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