Karl Griebsch. Courtesy of Phil "Bunk" GriffinBorn: February 10, 1915
Died: December 9, 2001
Married: Marion Hemingway
Children: John Griebsch, James Griebsch, Nancy Griebsch Barrett
Karl Griebsch was a Harrietstown Justice of the Peace for 47 years.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, December 11, 2001
SARANAC LAKE - Karl J. Griebsch, 86, of 11 Woodycrest Road, Saranac Lake, died Sunday Dec. 9, 2001 at Rochester General Hospital in Rochester.
Born in Kiel, Germany on Feb. 10, 1915, he was the son of Ernest and Ida (Klose) Griebsch.
Mr. Griebsch was a New York State trooper from 1939-1942. He enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and was a Naval Aviator. He was discharged in 1948 with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Upon returning to Saranac Lake, he started a flying service and instructed student pilots. He operated the Paye-Griebsch Garage and later the Mainline Garage in Saranac Lake and was an excellent mechanic. He was employed by Lincoln Mountain Vault for many years. He was a heavy equipment operator, working on the Northway and other projects. He was a Town of Harrietstown Board member and was village of Saranac Lake Justice for 17 year. He was currently a Town of Harrietstown Justice, a position he has held for 47 years and had just been re-elected to serve another term. He was a lieutenant and second in command of the New York State National Guard.
Mr. Griebsch had been active in the Saranac Lions Club, the Saranac Lake Rotary Club, the OX5 Aviation Pioneers, the Association of Former New York State Troopers, the New York State Magistrates Association, had been a member of the Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department, a member of the North Country Home Services board, the Adirondack Airport Commission, was a pistol-shooting champion, and was a scoutmaster, cub master and explorer advisor for the Bedford District Boy Scouts of America. Along with Police Chief William Wallace he was one of the founders of Santa's Jukebox. For many years, during Memorial Day Services in Riverside Park, he did a fly over ceremony dropping flowers in Lake Flower in memory of those who lost their lives at sea. He was a five-year member of the Saranac Lake Central School Board and was a life member and past master of Masonic Lodge 789 F&AM.
Along with his three children and his wife, he built his geodesic dome house. He loved opera, his community, the Adirondacks and especially his family.
Mr. Griebsch was married to Marion Hemingway on Feb. 10, 1943. She predeceased him on Oct. 11, 2000. He is survived by two sons: John Griebsch and his wife Elizabeth Butler of Poultneyville and James Griebsch of Fairfield, Maine; one daughter, Mrs. Neal (Nancy Diane Griebsch) Barrett of Rochester; one grandson, Alexei Griebsch and his wife Nadia of New York City; one granddaughter, Alyssa Barrett of Rochester; two sisters: Louise Moore of Waterford and Margot O'Brien of Rennselaer; one brother, Ernest Griebsch and his wife Rena of Governeur and several nieces and nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Ernest Griebsch, and his mother, Ida (Klose) Griebsch, and a sister: Katie Griebsch.
Visitation will be at Fortune Keough Funeral Home on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A Masonic Service will be held at 8 p.m., Wednesday at the funeral home. The funeral service will be held Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home, with Rev. William Neil, Pastor of the First United Methodist Church, Officiating. Burial will follow at Harrietstown Cemetery in Saranac Lake.
Friends wishing to remember Mr. Griebsch may make memorial contributions to High Peaks Hospice in care of the funeral home.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, January 5, 2002
Judge Karl was a man of much wisdom, compassion
To the Editor:
I want to thank you for Bob Seidenstein's wonderful column on Judge Karl Griebsch last month, and I also want to offer a minor correction to something Bob wrote. Like many of us in the area, I first met the Judge in his official capacity, on a cold winter's night in early 1974, when I appeared before him to explain why my dog had been picked up gamboling illegally on Park Avenue. I respectfully submitted that I had tried to confine the animal, but that she had escaped. He listened soberly, fined me $5, and I retired. I don't remember much about the occasion now except the impression of having received a fair and impartial hearing from an imposing figure that I did not want to meet on more serious business.
My next meeting with the Judge was not until 15 years later when he joined the school board. There he was unfailingly courteous and even-tempered, even under the most contentious of circumstances, and in my opinion made a major contribution to maintaining a civil and professional atmosphere at more than a few board meetings. I can't remember a single instance when he lost his temper, and I learned a good deal from watching and listening to him.
After the Judge stepped down from the school board we missed him, but I always enjoyed the chance meetings with Judge Griebsch, whether in front of the town hall or in the grocery store, and on every occasion he never failed to ask about my family or behave graciously in every way, never ever complaining, even when he must have been struggling and had good reason to be discouraged at some of the challenges life had dealt him.
And this brings me to my correction: Bob wrote in his December column that I referred to the Judge by his first name, Karl, because we were peers, having served together on the school board. While we did serve together for some years, I never considered myself to be Judge Griebsch's "peer." I referred to him as Karl because that's the way he wanted it, but it will be a long time before I have the wisdom and compassion I saw Judge Karl exhibit on so many occasions.
Sincerely, Kirk D. Peterson Lake Clear
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