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Rich Grejtak: A Gilmour Legend For generations of Gilmour alumni, Rich Grejtak was the kind of teacher whose voice stayed with you.
scholarly tutelage and compassionate mentorship, a robust Latin program thrives at GA today.” Head of School Kathy Kenny worked alongside Rich for decades and counted him as a friend. “Rich was simply part of Gilmour. He was brilliant, funny and completely himself. He cared deeply about his students and about this school, and he held all of us to a high standard. He could make you think, make you laugh and, every once in a while, tell you exactly what you needed to hear. I was lucky to work with him for so many years and even luckier to call him my friend.” Faith was just as important to Rich as academics. He called Kairos “a pillar” of his Gilmour experience, giving him the chance to share his faith and know his students beyond the classroom. Asked what kept him at Gilmour all those years, Rich had an easy answer: the students and his colleagues. He believed deeply in educating both heart and mind and considered his years here a blessing. After retirement, Rich had more time for family. He and his wife, Bernadette, shared 59 years of marriage. They raised their son, Michael, and daughter, Kathy, and were devoted grandparents to Anna, Claire and Charlie. Rich died on June 27, 2026, at age 82. Looking back on his 46 years at Gilmour in a recent interview, Rich said: “Gilmour always was and will continue to be the place to be and I will always have Gilmour in my heart.” Judging by the memories of generations of students and colleagues, Rich will remain very much a part of Gilmour, too.
Former students remember the English papers and Latin translations, his quick wit and formidable intellect, and how much he expected of them. They may not always have appreciated being pushed at the time. Years later, many understood.
Rich spent 46 years doing just that.
REMEMBERING MR. GREJTAK “At a school full of amazing teachers, Mr. Grejtak was the very best... Every time I chew a piece of gum, may I hear him asking, ‘Mr. Tayek, are you masticating latex?” -Doug Tayek ’00 “He was literally the best English teacher I’ve ever had in my life and helped inspire me to be a better writer for the rest of my life.” -Richard Alvarez ’16 “I vividly remember being terrified when I found out Mr. Grejtak was going to be my English teacher. Little did I know he would become one of the best teachers I ever had and someone I talk about to this day.” -Steve Voinovich ’93 “He always ate lunch with us, which says so much. He loved being with his students. Greatly missed and what a brain!” -Therese Roche ’01
From 1969 until his retirement in 2016, he taught English and Latin to more than 1,700 students. He saw the arrival of international boarding students and the merger with Glen Oak, helped with accreditation efforts and the establishment of the Cum Laude Society, served as Men’s Club moderator and twice delivered the Commencement address. For Rich, though, it always came back to the students. “He was a teacher who pushed his students to be the best versions of themselves they could be. He had a huge heart, and cared for all of them. I was always amazed as a colleague how Rich remembered all of his past students, including the year they graduated, others in their families and more. Rich's sense of wit was unparalleled, and he always put a smile on my face with his quips!” recalls longtime colleague and former student Matt Lindley ’89 . Gilmour Latin teacher Alex Kimmel sees Rich’s influence in the program today. “Rich symbolized every pillar of insight inherent in a Classical education. He inspires me to continue that legacy at Gilmour Academy by instilling in students a passion for wisdom, an appreciation for the interconnectedness of past and present peoples, and a reverence for the order and eloquence of the fine arts. Thanks to his
Gilmour | FALL 2026
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