Obituary: Peter D. Grieves
Peter D. Grieves, of Montclair, died suddenly at his home on Dec. 14, 2020. He was 80.
Born in Glen Ridge, his family moved to Montclair, where he spent his childhood. He was the oldest son of Bernice A. Getchius and Leonard A. Grieves.
Mr. Grieves graduated from Montclair Academy in 1958 and received his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University, where he was a member of Zeta Psi fraternity, in 1963.
Upon graduating he began his professional career with American Can Co. in Jersey City. He subsequently joined his family’s travel agency businesses, World Wide Travel Bureau in Upper Montclair and World Wide Travel Service in Newark, which later moved to Glen Ridge.
In 1963, he married Donna Littlefield, who also grew up in Montclair alongside her family’s well-known local business, Applegate Farm. Drafted to serve in the Vietnam War, Mr. Grieves was recruited into the U.S. Air Force Officers Candidate School.
He was on active duty for five years and was stationed in Texas, Illinois and Florida. His two children, Melissa and Peter, were born while he was stationed in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
In 1970 Mr. Grieves left active duty to join the reserves, returning to Montclair to raise his family. He served at McGuire Air Force Base until 1981, when he retired from service, holding the rank of major.
Mr. Grieves worked at World Wide Travel Bureau in Upper Montclair, managing the family businesses until his retirement in 2009. During his career as a travel professional, he was an active member of Skal International, an international association for travel and tourism professionals. He planned travel for many private and business clients, as well as community organizations, including the Commonwealth Club in Upper Montclair.
An active athlete his entire life, he enjoyed playing many sports, most of all golf, and was well known among family and friends for his excellent short game.
During his travel career, Mr. Grieves was sponsored by airlines to participate in numerous golf tournaments around the world, notably in the Caribbean, England, Scotland and the United States. He was honored to partner with many of the sport’s greats in pro-am tournaments, including Arnold Palmer, Chi-Chi Rodriguez and Nancy Lopez, with whom he partnered in the Coca Cola Classic Pro-Am at Upper Montclair Country Club. His pride and joy, though, was partnering with the legendary Jack Nicklaus in the Westchester Pro Am in 1973.
Mr. Grieves enjoyed many summers and Thanksgivings with family at their second residence on the New England coast, in Bristol, Maine. Among his favorite pastimes in Maine were eating lobster and sitting on the white sands of Pemaquid Beach.
In retirement, he and his wife traveled on several Viking River cruises in Europe, meeting new friends from all over the world, and continued to enjoy annual golf trips with close friends to the southern United States.
Mr. Grieves is survived by his wife of 57 years, Donna Littlefield Grieves of Montclair; his two children, Melissa Ann Grieves (Craig Orlando) of Little Silver and Peter Donald Grieves (Christine Bardo Grieves) of Columbia, Pa.; two grandchildren, Sydney A. Grieves and Chase P. Orlando, and 17 nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his siblings, Joan Bain, Susan Hunter and Donald Grieves.
Mr. Grieves will be greatly missed by all who knew him. A private graveside service for immediate family will be held on Dec. 28, 2020, at the Restland Memorial Cemetery in East Hanover. A memorial service will be held at a later date, where extended family, friends and community members will be invited to join in celebrating his life.
To send the family condolences or share a memory, please visit moriarityfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Toni’s Kitchen in Montclair or a charitable organization of your choice.