Peter Gritis

On March 1, 2014 Lt. Col. Peter Gritis (92) of Reston, Virginia passed away. Born in Chicago, Illinois he was the son of August and Julia Gritis. He played football at the University of Michigan on scholarship. After completing his sophomore year he volunteered to serve in the US Army during WW II in Europe with the Seventh Armored Division, Armored Infantry taking him from England through Belgium, France and Germany. After completing his degree in psychology in 1948, he worked at AT&T Michigan Bell and later in the Insurance business. While a member of the reserves, he was recalled into service at the beginning of the Korean conflict. He served with the Army Security Agency as an intelligence analyst. At the close of the conflict he remained in the military serving in Japan, Korea, Turkey and Germany. He retired in 1968 beginning a second career as a civilian for Army Materiel Command in the Inspector Generals Office. He retired for the second time in 1986 at the age of 65. He is survived by his wife Ann Koenig Lenehan Gritis of Reston, Va., his children Patricia Lessard of Mechanicsville, Va., Carol Russell of Alexandria, Va., Peter Gritis, Jr. of Breezy Point, Md., Gail Bourner of Paris, France, his step children, Mary Hynes, of Fairfax, Va., Kate Wyckoff, of Bethesda. Md., Sean Lenehan of Alexandria, Va., many grandchildren and a great grandchild. Friends are invited to call Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home 9902 Braddock Road, Fairfax, Va. 22032 Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m. Funeral Service will be held at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home 9902 Braddock Road, Fairfax, Va. 22032 at 7:00 p.m. Internment will take place at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery where he will join his first wife, Helen Hurych Gritis, the mother of his children. www.fmfh.com