Gregory Lee McGee

1947 - 2023

Gregory Lee McGee
Granite City - Gregory Lee McGee, 76, a Granite City, Illinois, native died Dec. 24, 2023, at his home. He was born Jan. 16, 1947, the son of Marvin Lee and Conleth Margaret (O'Brien) McGee.
Soon after high school, Gregory, like many dozens of Granite's local graduates, was drafted in 1966 during the Vietnam War. Greg held an interest in electronics and communications and applied for a radio operator assignment, but after fracturing both knees during basic training and failing a Morse Code speed test, Greg found himself without a unit or a specialty. He then benefited from the only advice his father ever gave on education: know how to type. Greg was assigned company clerk duties in Furth, Germany, a job that yielded Solider of the Quarter honors, an opportunity to experience Europe, and a treasury of stories to later share with family and friends. One gem was being caught sitting in the lieutenant's chair while also wearing his hat, then evading immediate "KP" by reminding the lieutenant that a next morning general inspection might go poorly if he was too tired to have all the company's paperwork in proper order.
Never dreaming of attending college, but now returning home with government assistance for education, Greg enrolled at SIUE, where he became one of the first staff members to help launch a student-run radio station, WSIE-FM, for which he was later named station manager, one of the proudest moments of his life.
With his new bachelor's degree in Mass Communications while shuffling resumes, he saw what he considered a temporary job opportunity when the local library needed someone to type catalog cards. Although Greg said in his nervousness, he skipped an entire line during the typing test as the director loomed over his shoulder, Greg managed to beat out the typing competition. At that moment, the Granite City Public Library, now the Six Mile Regional Library District, was to become his beloved permanent home.
Time flew as he made friends at the library, soon introducing his sister to a fellow worker who would later become his brother-in-law, but Greg become restless to continue his working in Communications. In cooperation with then South-Western Cable TV (now Charter Communications), he initiated his own local cable show, Greg became "Gregg," and "Coffee Break with Gregg McGee" was born. The regularly aired show became a place for local experts to share knowledge with the community, but also featured occasional guest appearance with national celebrities. Meanwhile, the library was also expanding, the first branch facility opened in Nameoki Village Shopping Center, where Gregg served as branch manager. The branch was to undergo many transitions, and Gregg worked hard helping to assemble and disassemble the branch as it hopped from home to home, another store front, a church building, a former school, until the Granite City Branch Library opened its permanent location on Johnson Road, where Gregg initially served as branch supervisor and became known as the smiling face to its patrons.
The problem was Gregg lacked a master's degree in library science, as he was reminded by a board member who visited the branch to tell Gregg since he lacked his MLS he must not care about the library. A dejected Gregg, now in his forties, returned home feeling like a failure. He had never married, and the library was his family. The next action he took was to call his brother-in-law about a plan to get their MLS degrees, not offered at the time in the area. After logging hundreds of miles, using all their vacation time for several years, and with the help of tuition assistance from the library, they both received their Master of Library Science degrees from the University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo. Gregg even paid for his brother-in-law's campus housing and books since his finances were tight with a new baby.
With his title as an assistant manager with the Six Mile Regional Library District, Gregg took pleasure in sponsoring visits from local and national writers. He particularly valued a lifelong friendship formed with Robert Owen Butler, an acclaimed writer and Granite City native.
After suffering a minor stroke, his health forced Gregg to retire after forty-three years, the longest serving employee of the library. During retirement, Gregg enjoyed gardening and spending time with his beloved dog, Bo, a Sheltie. Gregg was a faithful member of St. Joseph and Sacred Heart churches, St. Margaret Mary, and Holy Family Catholic Church, until his health prevented him from attending in person.
He was preceded in death, by his parents, and a brother-in-law, Michael Hillmer.
Surviving are three sisters, Georgeann McGee of Granite City, Monica (Robert) Smiggen of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Maureen (Robert) McGee-Ballinger of Custer, South Dakota; a brother, Vincent (Laura LaHay) McGee of Dillon, Montana; a nephew, Alexander Hillmer-McGee of Edwardsville, Illinois; a step-nephew, Scott (Christine) Smiggen; and many extended family members and friends.
Memorials may be made to the Six Mile Regional Library District, for masses, or to favorite charities.
Services: Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13, at Irwin Chapel, 3960 Maryville Road, Granite City. Following the visitation, a funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. by Father Steve Thompson at Holy Family Church, 2606 Washington Avenue, Granite City. Burial will follow at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Edwardsville.