Contributions to the tribute of Fred William Grello, M.D.

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Obituary

GRELLO-Dr. Fred William Grello passed away peacefully at his beloved home on April 4, at age 89. Husband of 62 years to Rose Theresa DiPalma, he was the proud father of six children. Fred, Jr. (Catherine), Margaret Rose (Michael), Frank (Laura), Ciro (Christine), Monica Rose, and Stephen (Jennifer). He was beloved by his 20 grandchildren and 2 great-grand-children and took pride in remembering all their names and birthdates. William, Monica, Christina, Alexandra, Matthew, Stephen, Jessica, Douglas, Samuel, Rosanna, Eva, Isabella, Dominique, Cassandra, Ciro, James, Daniel, Julia, Mia, Ava, Noah and Preston! As the sole survivor of 7 children, he became a cherished uncle to scores of nieces and nephews. His childhood years were spent in Southern Maryland, and he attended Georgetown University undergrad and Medical School. He served 8 years in the Navy, spending a life-changing year in Haiti, and worked in Bethesda Naval Hospital during his residency. He moved to Long Island in 1962, shortly thereafter finding his home in Brightwaters in 1964. He established his pediatrics practice in West Islip where he spent 40+ years tending to the needs of his ever-expanding flock of loyal patients. He was known for his keen diagnostic skills, detecting rare and often life-threatening illness and conditions in their earliest stages. He remained active in the Parish of St. Patrick, serving as a weekly lector and eventually a Ministry of Consolation. He took up cooking in his later years and reveled in hosting dinner parties for which he prepared his favorite Italian specialties. His love for gardening in his yard and around the Brightwaters Lakes became the stuff of local legend. He took immense pride in his home, built in 1885, and rolled on logs to its current location in the early 1900s. 

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He will be interred in a private religious ceremony led by Father Cyril Obi on 4/14/2020 at St. Charles Cemetery. We intend to memorialize Dr. Grello in early October at Chapey & Sons Funeral Home at which time a Catholic Mass will be celebrated in his name at St. Patrick Church. Please visit www.chapeyfamily.com to leave messages of condolence. If you wish to make a donation in his honor, please consider Good Shepherd Hospice, who nurtured him during his final months https://goodshepherdhospice.chsli.org/donations OR Hospice Care Network whose Healing Circle’s Pediatric Hospice Program provided solace to our nieces after our brother Stephen's passing. https:/www.hospicecarenetwork.org/donate-now/