Joseph Greache

Dr. Joseph Greache

Vicksburg

Dr. Joseph Anthony Greache was born in Vicksburg MS on Feb. 9, 1926. He was a life-long communicant of St. Paul Catholic Church.

He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph J. Gerache and Mercedes Messina Gerache, his wife and mother of his children Joanne Ryan Greache, Sisters Rosalie G. Ford and Mercedes G. Reeder and his son Joseph Anthony Greache Jr. He is survived by his wife Ann Grundfest Greache, Children Janice Waring (Dan), Cookie Beasley, John J. Gerache (Ginger), Tommy Greache (Whitney), Daughter-n-law Linda Gerache and his sister Josephine G. Lavecchia. He is also step children Ellen Emmich, Kathy Friedman, Robert Emmich (Carey) and Gayle Emmich. He leaves Grandchildren Jana Kane (Regan), Ryan Cook (Clint), Jill Upchurch (Keith), Candace Salisbury (David), Jennifer Sciro (Jay), Joey Gerache, Jeremy Beasley, Josh Gerache, Jonathan Gerache, James Gerache, Ahleah Gerache, Sara Emmich, Brooke Emmich, Shelby Friedman and Mory Friedman. He also leaves 8 great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Dr. Greache graduated from St. Aloysius High School in 1943 under the direction of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. He enlisted in the U S Navy and was assigned as a hospital corpsman to a special augmented hospital unit serving mainly in the Philippines and Okinawa. He graduated from Loyola University School of Pharmacy in New Orleans in 1950 and returned to Vicksburg. He owned and operated the Delta, The Corner and the Colonial Drug Stores from 1950 to 1997. His roots in the pharmacy profession were wide and deep as his father, sister, son and several cousins were registered pharmacists.

His commitment to the advancement of pharmacy as a science and as an art was reflected in his honors, awards and professional organizations.

He is a fellow in the American College of Apothecaries, a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association and the American Institute of History of Pharmacy. Dr. Gerache served on the Mississippi State Board of Pharmacy from 1980 to 1985 and served as its president in 1984. He was president of the Mississippi Pharmacy Association in 1993 and was a charter member of the Galen Order of the University Of Mississippi School Of Pharmacy. Among his many honors were the1997 Bowl of Hygeia Award from the A. H. Robins Company for professional excellence and community service and the honorary doctorate of pharmacy from Loyola University in 1982.

Dr. Gerache had dedicated time outside his profession to community service. He collected and distributed medications for the Saltillo, Mexico mission sponsored by Catholic Charities in both Jackson and Vicksburg. He served on the Board of Directors of Good Shepherd Community Center and was the vice president of the Street Medical Foundation. He also was pharmacy consultant for the First Baptist Church Medical Clinic.

A Vicksburg native, Dr. Gerache always had a keen interest in the Civil War. This led to the development of a local museum at the Corner Drug Store of his extensive gun collection, Civil War artifacts and apothecary memorabilia which were on display for clients and visitors. What began as sharing a hobby with the public became a unique teaching experiment. He developed an entertaining way to share his love of history and the practice of medicine in the South as he assumed the role of a Civil War surgeon; His many talks were performed in schools, civic clubs and community organizations as "Dr. Joe's Medicine Show".

He served as past president of the Vicksburg Jaycees, lions Club, Civil War Roundtable and the Knights of Columbus. He was also a member of the 4th degree of the Knights of Columbus. He was past director of Trustmark National Bank and a board member of the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. He was a charter member of the Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park and the Campaign.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons.

Honorary pallbearers will be Charles Kette, W. B. Harlan, Harry Ulery, Linn McDuff, Wayne McMaster, and Don Neumann, jack Curtis, Dr. Clark Williams, Joe Bottino, Ben Lamensdorf, Stan Kline and Richard Marcus

Visitation will be 4:00 pm to 7 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 26 at Frank J. Fisher Funeral Home. Amass of celebration will be held at St. Paul Catholic Church on Thursday Dec. 27 at 11 am In Lieu of flowers the family request that memorials be made to St. Paul Catholic Church, Vicksburg Catholic Schools, Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign P. O. Box 821286, Vicksburg, Ms. 39182.