FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP -William J. "Bill" Gregg, Jr. 60, a resident of Dollar Bay, died Saturday, December 6, in an accidental fall at the Quincy Mine Hoist No. 2 Shaft, in Quincy Township; he was installing steel ladders in the shaft to provide an emergency exit from the mine.
Bill was born in Troy, New York, on October 14, 1948, the son of the late William Joseph Gregg, Sr. and Elizabeth Maria Elena (Gagliardi) Gregg. Bill attended private Catholic schools in Troy, graduating from La Salle Institute in 1967. He attended Hudson Valley Community College and then transferred to the State University of New York at Albany where he recieved his Bachelor of Science in Geology and Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, and his Masters and PhD degrees, in Geology as well.
Bill worked for Windsor Minerals, in Vermont, every summer from 1971 through 1990. There he served as chief geologist where, as a structural geologist, he was able to direct the discovery of ore deposits for both underground and several surface mines. The company was a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson and was the sole supplier of talc for their talcum powder. While working for that company, he also traveled to California, Scotland, and Zambia.
He began his employment at Michigan Technological University (MTU) in 1979. There he conducted research and taught. He was an inspiring, thought provoking, and motivating teacher to his undergraduate students as well as a wonderful mentor to graduate students. Honors he received included the MTU Distinguished Teaching Award in 1984 and the State University of New York at Albany Excellence in Teaching Award in 1993. He was a member of the MTU Academy of Teaching Excellence as well. Honors he received also included Fellow of the Geological Society of America and Fellow of the National Speleological Society.
He was in the process of preparing a book, for publication, entitled "The Stress Workbook; Mechanics for Everybody, "which he used as a text for teaching, as well as patents for a "High Voltage, short duration, variable pulse rate PZT driver" and for "Low Noise Benchtop PZT Signal Conditioner." He was also the author of numerous publications found in a wide variety of professional journals. He was a member of many professional organizations including the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Society of Mining Engineers, the American Geophysical Union, the International Society of Structural Geologists, and the National Association of Geology Teachers. In addition, he was significantly engaged in public service, donating extensive time and energy to the Quincy Mine Hoist Association (QMHA) for which he served as director from 1997 until the present; he also chaired the QMHA Building and Ground Committee for many years and was currently Manager of the Quincy Mine.
In addition to his professional dedication, his interests were many. He enjoyed stamp collecting, military history, genealogy, aviation, space exploration, cave exploration (spelunking), boating, and the many different cultures of the world.
He was united in marriage to Debby Bose in 1973 and later he was married to the late Jane Glass in August 1996.
He was preceded in death by his father, William Joseph Gregg, Sr. who died in 1971, and his wife, Jane (Glass) Gregg who died in February of 2001. He is survived by his children Lydia (Fabian de Kok-Mercado) Gregg, David (engaged to Kristina Cole) Gregg, Daniel Gregg, and Jane Gregg; step-children Susan Glass and Richard Glass; mother, Elizabeth Gregg; sister Barbara (Mike) Bogdon; brothers Robert "Bob" (Therese) Gregg and Brian (Cynthia) Gregg; numerous nieces and nephews; loving partner, Nancy Feldman, former wife, Debby Bose Filer.
Visitation will take place at the lobby of the Rozsa Center at Michigan Technological University, located on the East side of campus. Hours will begin at 2:00 pm, with a Memorial Service taking at 2:30 pm with refreshments to follow. A Memorial wake service will take place in Troy, New York on Tuesday (12/16) evening from 4 to 8 pm; final internment will be Wednesday morning (12/17) at Oakwood cemetary at 10 am.
The family requests that memorials, in lieu of flowers be sent to Copper Country Preservation Inc. at coppercountrypreservation.org/ Bill was involved with preserving the 1898 Quincy Smelting Works which is a project this organization is promoting. Please click "donate now" and print and mail a donation form, on behalf of Bill, with your donation. For additional information, please see the memorial page website established by the Michigan Technological University Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, where Dr. Gregg was an Associate Professor of Geology: www.geo.mtu.edu/new s/2008/William J Gregg.html
The O'Neill-Dennis Funeral home in Hancock is assisting with the arrangements.
