GREGORY ST. JOHN

ST. JOHN--Gregory, died peacefully in New York City on September 20, 2019, with his beloved husband of 44 years, Gary McKay, by his side. Over the past three years, Gregory had been treated for pulmonary fibrosis and was supported and aided by Gary and his "logical family," who also survive and miss his unique personality and charm. Gregory was born on December 26, 1952 in Dover, NJ to Alice (nee Joy Lyons) and Joseph Parisek. He attended Rutgers University and moved to the Village in 1974 to attend the New School and study dance. In 1976, he began working at Alan R. Liss, Inc. (Liss), which launched him on a highly successful career in publishing. After John Wiley & Sons acquired Liss in 1990, Gregory worked on the development and growth of Wiley Interscience. At Wiley, he was eventually appointed Vice- President Web Technology, and he retired from Wiley in 2013 as Vice President for Transformational Strategies. In addition to Gregory's distinguished career in publishing, he was a longtime patron of the creative and performing arts. He served as President of the Board of Directors, Israeli Chamber Project (chamber music); on the Board of Trustees, Bowdoin International Music Festival; and on the Patron Leadership Council of the Manhattan Theatre Club. Gregory was a true New Yorker, one who participated in many community activities. A longtime resident of Clifton House on the Upper West Side, he was an active member and former president of its co-op board, he worked diligently to see to the building's maintenance and preservation of its architectural distinction. A self-made man and lifelong learner, Gregory was multi-lingual; he and his devoted husband, Gary, traveled the world in an adventurous style. He leaves behind a legacy of many friends he made in his professional life, global travels, and NYC, who are all the better for having known and loved him. A memorial service will be held in November. Donations in Gregory's memory may be made to the Israeli Chamber Project: www.israelichamberproject.org/support, 120 Cabrini Blvd., Suite 54, New York, NY 10033.