S Virginia C. (Chivers) Greis

HOLDEN – Virginia Peyton Chivers Greis, 82, of Holden, passed away peacefully at home, among family, after a long illness on Friday, April 10, 2009. Born in Havana, Cuba, she was the daughter of Norman M. and Mary C. Chivers and granddaughter of Elijah Eynon Chivers, the former head of the American Foreign Mission and Baptist minister.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Howard A. Greis and a sister, Jane Chivers Greenleaf of Downington, PA. She is also survived by four children: Noel Peyton Greis and her husband Henry Greenside of Chapel Hill, NC, Frederick Eynon Greis and his wife Theresa Greis of Madison, NJ, Leslie Endres Greis of Cambridge, and Carolyn Angle Greis and her husband Neil Nott, of Chevy Chase, MD, and seven grandchildren: Virginia, Kathryn and Frederick Greis; Arthur and Peyton Greenside; and Elijah and Elinor Nott.

Virginia (Ginnie) graduated from Baldwin High School, NY and received a Bachelor’s degree in political science at Brown University (Pembroke College) and was active in the Pembroke College Alumni Club. Prior to her marriage, she worked in New York for NBC and Liberty Mutual.

She was a willing risk-taker and assisted her husband in his consultancy business and the start-up of Control Molding Corporation in 1955. In 1962, once again, she worked with her husband to organize and start Kinefac Corporation and, while raising the family, retained an ongoing role as a Corporate Director. When her youngest went away to college, she worked full time at Kinefac Corporation in marketing operations and coordinated trade shows in locations from Chicago to China and India. Along with her husband, she traveled to over 20 countries promoting Kinefac products and she entertained countless company clients and guests at home and abroad. Most of all, Virginia was most proud of her children and family.

Virginia was an avid sportswoman and competed in high school and college in basketball and field hockey. She carried her sports interests into later life as a golfer and was active in the Holden Hills and Green Hill Women’s Golf Associations. Virginia was trained in violin and the arts. She was a longtime member of the Worcester Art Museum. She lived in Holden with her family for the last 50 years and was a longstanding member of Epworth United Methodist Church.

Calling hours will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, in the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street (Rte. 122A), Holden. Relatives, friends and guests are also invited to a memorial service to celebrate her life on Wednesday, April 15 at 2 p.m. at Epworth Methodist Church, 64 Salisbury Street, Worcester, which will followed by a reception at the Worcester Art Museum, nearby. The burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Epworth Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 64 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609.

Website & Guest book: www.milesfuneralhome.com