Marie Denise Gretz

GRETZ MARIE DENISE June 17, 1937 - Jan. 26, 2025 Passed away peacefully on January 26, 2025 in San Francisco, CA. She was born on June 17, 1937 in Philadelphia, PA to the late Arthur and Nancy Gretz (McNulty). She was a loving daughter to her parents and was devoted to their care and attention in their later years. Her ashes are laid to rest at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheltenham Township, PA alongside her parents and grandparents. Denise graduated from Holy Child Elementary School in Philadelphia and joined several classmates in enrolling at the Academy of the Sisters of Mercy, later named the Gwynedd Mercy Academy, in Philadelphia. She graduated from Penn State University in University Park, PA with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and earned a Master's Degree in Clinical Science from San Francisco State University. After graduating, she set off to Europe and Asia with one of her close friends. Her enthusiasm for seeking new horizons led her to move to San Francisco, CA where her roommate, work colleagues and acquaintances became lifelong friends. She also maintained a close relationship with family and friends on the east coast and frequently visited them. She was the ultimate tour guide, driving people in her VW drove people from Napa to Carmel, making sure that they saw every sight in S.F. As her relatives and friends expanded over the years, their offspring were welcomed into her nest. She knew their names, birthdays, schools, significant partners and children, jobs, etc. and was their biggest cheerleader. Denise was content with her life in San Francisco, where she attended the theater, ballet and the opera. She followed the political happenings of the city and was a member of the World Affairs Council and the Commonwealth Club. Working as a research scientist for the Department of Agriculture in both public health and for the Army, she was a steadfast believer in the value of civil service. Denise will be remembered for her kindness and generosity and will be missed by those people whose lives she touched.