Where to begin...So many memories, emotions, much love and now a great loss.

Greg; a gentle soul, the kindest, most generous,  caring, welcoming friend. Always interested in what you were doing..a great listener.  A quiet example to us all. 

Many summers were spent with Kerry, Greg and Garrett and we always felt as welcome as if it was our very first time.

Our family times together are treasured memories. Rockin Rye was a home away from home for us. The experience it gave our children will stand to them for years to come and I know they were their favourite summers. Dermot and Greg spent many an evening on the porch trying to right the worlds affairs over a beer or two.  How Blessed are we for the privilege of being a part of Greg's life. 

Greg  shared Kerry and Garrett for a few weeks every few years, when they would come to visit us here in Ireland. They would come a few weeks ahead so that us ladies could have a good "catch up!" before his arrival. We loved having Greg join us and see him relax among the Irish.

Kerry, Garrett, Shelby, Finn and all the Rohten Paine family and friends our hearts are breaking for you as we know just how much Greg will be missed. A true sign of of how much he was loved. We will hold him forever in hearts! 

We will be with you in Spirit on the 18th via live stream.

Thanks for the memories Greg, we love you!! 

So sorry to hear of your loss Kerry.  My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

• Wow. When I think about writing on Greg’s memorial website it is a bittersweet flood of thoughts and memories of our, I guess, 45 year friendship, partnership, brotherhood we brewed starting at Sonoma Developmental Center and continuing for decades on up on the mountain we both so dearly love. I say love instead of “loved” so I can hold onto him a little longer. That is the bitter pill to swallow. The memory that he is no longer here.  So, for me, I need to draw a circle around that number “45” and realize those four and a half decades is a big chunk of time to have the big guy around in my life. And that is sweet and I am thankful for all the years.                                                         So I returned from my tour in the Army in 1969, the same year Greg went into the Navy. The next year I started my Psych Tech training at Sonoma State and Greg followed a few years later when he got out of the Navy. Think we met at some music gig at somebody’s house there in the valley. Gosh it seemed like good times were had by all back then. We were all young, working at the hospital which was like a college campus, making decent money, playing music at different peoples houses and partying like rock stars. Or we thought we might be famous some day? We’ll I did. Didn’t happen. And Greg? He was always the nicest, low keyed, easy going, never brash, no manic mood swings, just as steady as the bass notes he played kind of guy. If he did get in drunken brawls at times I missed them all somehow. Thank God!!                   Many times we would share our stories of our time in the service with each other. He had couple of good ones I remember. When he finally shipped out with hundreds of sailors on their first cruise after months of training the seas started getting rough after just a couple of days and they all went in lockdown. Couldn’t be out on deck and the first ones started getting sick and vomiting and the chain reaction that started. Not good as in real bad for DAYS. The berths (beds) are stacked up on the walls you climb up on. So guys are puking off the side of berth on guy below whose doing the same to the guy below him and on and on. Fun first cruise huh. Could I have the top bunk Sir? Then when Greg got to his permanent duty ship, I believe a big carrier, they would occasionally do something to relieve the stress of daily life onboard. They had a boxing ring stashed away that the top brass would roll out at times and play “last man standing”.  Ten or twelve guys at a time would volunteer to get in the ring, put boxing gloves on and then all be blindfolded.. So when the bell rang they all just started swinging blindly until the last man is standing. Had to be fun to watch but participate? I don’t think so.                                      We’ll I’m done but can add more later when I dredge up more from my somewhat dim memory. But it was always fun to be around Greg as all of you must know. The world would be a better place with a lot more Greg’s. He enriched my life from knowing him and being his friend. Loved and remembered always. Michael Allan Ewbank.