Individual Details

Oct 24, 1934 - Aug 22, 2014 Johnny William Grech, age 79, passed away peacefully on August 22, 2014, from complications of a stroke, at the Providence Hospital, with his family at his side. Johnny was born in Mobile on October 24, 1934. He graduated from Murphy High School in 1951. From the time he first picked up a guitar when he was just a boy, music was always a part of Johnny's life. While singing and playing guitar in the band at a honkey tonk on Moffett Road, Johnny first saw the love of his life, Mary Angela Turner (Ann) on the dance floor, and decided at that moment that she would be the girl he was going to marry. His dream came true on August 3, 1957, when they became man and wife. Johnny was drafted into the army that same year, and served 2 years. After an honorable discharge, he returned to Mobile, and began a job at Brookley Field as a quality controller, until his job was phased out in 1967. He then commuted to New Orleans to work for NASA, building astronaut re-entry vehicles. Following that job, he served in the government civil service for 30 years as a contract administrator for Ingall's shipbuilding in Pascagoula, MS. Always industrious, Johnny continuously initiated side businesses to support his growing family. He started the first pinball and video game arcades in Mobile, and was the first one to print an independent shopper's guide called "The Bargaineer." Despite being continuously busy with his job and businesses, Johnny never lost his love of music. He was a talented guitarist and had a beautiful singing voice, performing in most of the night clubs and honkey tonks in Mobile and the Gulf Coast throughout the years. When he and Ann led the Mardi Gras Ball with the theme, "A Tribute to Elvis," many of the observers were astounded to discover that the person they heard singing "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" was not a recording by Elvis Presley, but rather Johnny dressed as Elvis, singing to his beloved wife, Ann, dressed as a Las Vegas showgirl. No matter how busy, Johnny's family always came first, and he even turned down a recording contract, fearing that the life of a musician would take him away from his family. When his daughter Angela started her first veterinary clinic, Johnny spent many hours working as he called it, "kennel boy," washing and walking dogs, maintaining the grounds, and training employees. When his other daughter Chassity started her first tattoo business, Johnny said he wouldn't tattoo anyone, but he would do all the accounting and building maintenance. Johnny always made time for and entered into his children's & grandchildren's games with the same enthusiasm and joy that he displayed when talking with friends and family his own age. Known as "Paw Paw" to the children and teachers at St. Pius X, he attended every school function for his grandchildren at St. Pius X school, fixed many a bicycle at the St. Pius X bike rodeos, and was a tireless homework instructor for all of his grandchildren. No one who knew Johnny will ever forget his wonderful sense of humor that always brightened your day, or his beautiful smile that could light up a room. Left to love and remember him are his wife Mary Angela (Ann), his daughters Angela (John) Bentley and Chassity Ebbole, his adoptive granddaughter Yvonna, and his grandchildren Blake Bentley, Zachary Bentley, Savannah Bentley, Jillian Bentley, and Sage Bentley, and his sister Betty Hughes, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son Julian William, and his beloved nephew Carl Gregory Duke. Memorial mass will be held Thursday, August 28, 2014 at 11:00 AM at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 217 South Sage Avenue, Mobile, with Father Stephen Vrazel celebrating the mass. The family will greet friends at a reception immediately following the mass at the Sarto Center adjoining the sanctuary. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Johnny's name to The Hydrocephalus Association.
Published in the Mobile Register and Baldwin County from Aug. 26 to Aug. 27, 2014

Birth	24 Oct 1934	Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama
Marriage	3 Aug 1957	Living
Death	22 Aug 2014	Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama

Spouse	Living
Child	Living
Child	Living